"Does tha mean ya never saw yer mum or da"? Hager asked.
I nodded.
"They come and pick us when we are grown enough, I decided to run away".
"What made ya run away"?
I shrugged while thinking of Mislins warning.
"Humans" Haba spit with a disgusted look in his face.
"I donna think yer human boy... ya might have in ya beast blood".
"Or worse, ya can have Druid blood in ya, which means tha humans might have captured one of our own".
I shrugged again, "It doesn't matter... I'm never going back".
"Do ya find yerself hungry boy? Do ya find a craving for something even after yer bellies full"?
I stopped eating and looked over at Haba.
I nodded.
I thought it was just the side affects of mana usage.
"Slow down on the mana boy, until ya can get ta a place where yer meals are guaranteed" Haba said while shaking his head at the lost cause in front of him.
"What happens if I don't" I asked.
"Yer body will overwork itself and begin ta break down, turning ya into a demon of old" Haba replied.
"If yer lucky" Durin-Son said.
"Most now a days just turn into ash" he looked at me with a face full of pity.
"You say the mountain pass is west of here"? I asked.
Hager nodded.
"A two day trip west will lead ta the Jagged Edge, if you climb that peak you will reach the Little Mountains pass".
"Why do they call it the little mountain"? I asked.
"It's the smallest mountain in the Spine" Habas reply left me chewing slowly in wonder.
'How... just.. how' I thought to myself while I continued to chew on the aged salted meat.
They continued to eat and discuss the implications of what I told them, when they asked me for the location of the camp I told them the truth.
I had no love for my captures and if a swarm of druids rides through their town I wouldn't mind one bit.
"Makes sense your not from Undia... all those humans care about is silver and stones" he said shaking his head.
'At least I know what the currency is' I thought glad that I won't be dealing in hard to get mana stones forever.
"Can I have a pot"? I asked suddenly drawing all the gazes towards me.
"A pot"?
"Yes a pot... I want to make something" I said.
Durin-son reached around and handed me a pot they where using to baste the meat with alcohol with.
"Can I keep it" I asked confirming that it was mine and they nodded.
I walked over to a large rock and began to take out nuggets of gold that I had found throughout my travels.
Every time I felt my mana being rejected by something I either dug it out or pulled out the area around it and it was always gold.
I had five small nuggets of pure gold along with the two spheres with arrays carved into them inside my pack.
Once the nuggets are placed next to the pan I start a fire ball and hold the handle of the pot over it until it melts off.
I then heat up the largest nugget of gold in the air until it is malleable and drips into the pan
I shaped it with mana tendrils that dissipated the moment they touched the hot metal but kept condensing.
Using the handle I broke off to help push it down.
After a few rounds of heating it and molding it I had a round sloppy looking hollow sphere that was glowing in the dark.
I then connect a tendril of mana to the water and bring a small stream over to the hollow sphere that is the size of my thumb.
Adding the grease from the roasted hogs skin at the end.
I tie a rope made out of fibrous leaves around my neck.
I now have a new house for Ava.
"Ya wasted mine cradle for just tha"? I stare warily at the scowl on Hagers face and Durin-Son laughs so loud birds left their nest.
"Come boy let me take a look at yer trinket" I walked over and handed it over to Durin-Son who inspected the little sphere that looked like a hollow blob of gum.
"Its made of fools metal" Durin said.
"Fools metal"?
"Ai weaker than iron and rejects mana, only fools who love how it shines collect it".
I smile internally, this means energy conversion isn't something that is common.
"Yer not at all curious as ta what ya are"? Hager asked while we all sat around the fire.
"What do you mean"?
"I mean yer not human... at least I don think ya are".
"Is that an issue"? I asked.
I thought I was going west where everyone was free, if not free then at least not hunted because of what they are.
"Ai for humans snot an issue, but if yer beast-kin they'll shackle ya up once more" he grunted.
"Thanks for the warning" I replied.
I don't think I was any less human.
I knew my body best even though it has been a long time since I was Otis, I know what a human body feels like.
"How did you walk on water like that"? I asked Haba who received looks from the other two.
I thought they where warning him against saying anything but in reality they are just as curious as I am.
"All druid children learn a technique called "Water Dancing' when we are young"
"We druids are naturally heavy and a lot of us in the past died in the waters until water dancing came about".
"Ai the one where ya tighten yer gut and sink ta the bottom while bouncin back up" Hager said and Haba nodded.
"Ai, so once I molded my mana core it was easy enough to do the same but instead of sink in I would float and instead of bouncin up I was.... bouncin in place is the best way ta describe it".
'That was a shit explanation' I thought.
"Thank you" is what I really said.
Beggars can't be choosers.
"How can ya do so many things with no arrays"? Haba asked.
"I practiced a lot, it is easier for things I know how to do" I answered with no hesitation.
Haba nodded "Ai, I can do tha same but the mana arts are difficult for us druids".
"What's an array" Durin-son and Hager asked at the same time.
"How so"? I asked ignoring them.
"Aura runs thick in us druids with no exception, only those who train under Ooin himself from birth have tha chance to use mana" Haba replied.
"Does that mean..."? I pointed at him.
Hager nodded, "Ai his name is Haba of the Blood Ooin-Son".
Haba puffed his chest out and I could see him flexing his muscles underneath his chainmail.
"What's yer name boy"? Durin-Son asked lazily while leaning back and Hager spat out his liquor laughing.
"The silliest name brooda" Hager muttered.
"Ambrose" they waited a while as if expecting more.
"Who gave ya such a silly name"? Haba asked with a sneer.
"I did".
"Then thas not a name boy, a name is what yer people give ya" Durin-son half scolded.
The others nodded at this while he continued to lecture me about common knowledge.
"What is your name then" I asked.
"Durin-Son Hewer of Men" he replied gaining a 'hooah' from the other two.
"And you" I asked Hager.
"Hager of the Ash Otr-Son" he slammed his fist to his chest and took another swig of what smelled like ethanol in a barrel.
"Ill give ya a name boy from now on you will be En of the East" Hager said and the others nodded.
"A good name that be" Haba muttered.
'En of the East' I thought and chuckled, it seems yet again I have another moniker.