After we got back home to our nest, before going to bed even though I was really tired, I still wanted to have a peek at the contents of the book carefully opening it with my retractable cat's claws, but upon confirming my illiteracy, like a kid I simply look over the images, the hand made symbols looking very foreign to me, but similar to that rune mother wearied somehow.
Interesting, perhaps it teaches runes too… cannot wait to find out.
But even that could not lift my spirits up, knowing that such knowledge is this close, and yet so far from my grasp, that with a turbulent mind I end up having a restless sleep that night, embracing the book like a pillow, coiling my tail around us.
And yet, for some reason, the next day, after mother brought some small cherries for us to munch as breakfast, she does not lingers around and brings me back to that area full of greenery that we were before, and I recognize the place before we even have the lake of fairies and the ladies on sight.
But I forgot to prepare myself for the high pitch cheering and laughs of the lady's fairies here, especially once their eyes land on me.
"Oh, you are back! The cute owl kitty is back!"
"Where, where?"
"Tsk, things are going to get loud again, this lady is already annoyed!"
Only one fairy, as always, does not approach me as the others came and swarmed around us, smiling and talking at the same time, and I knew by the end of the day to stop trying to understand all of them at once, only saying something when directly talked to.
While they keep playing around with me, however, mother goes and talks with Lake Cottonwhistle, the most mature looking of the group and the one responsible for this never-ending chatting ladies, and once both are done she calls me:
"Seraph, can you come here for a second. Please ladies, give the boy a rest." There are many small complaints, but they soon get entertained by attending the flowers. "You too Lily, come over."
That shocks me and the group, but no more than Lily herself, having to fly down from her higher branch towards the other.
After we walk a little further away to have some privacy, fairy Lake starts talking:
"Alinda and I are long-term friends, and she asked me if any of us could watch over for her son when he goes out."
"What, you want me to babysit? No way!" She flickers her wings quickly behind her in distress.
I'm about to agree, not only because I did not need a babysitter, but because Lily always had a strange look while glancing at others, with an arrogant air of superiority, I did not think I will enjoy nor need her company, however Lake talks before us can:
"I chose you Lily because I believe you are capable of keeping you both out for danger without being overtaken into small chatter or trying to play around with the boy all the time. Also, you are the most free of us all, you only attend to your flowers and lazy around all day, wouldn't be unfair to take the occupied with the garden fairies out for it? Or perhaps you are willing to take their part of the job and replace them…"
"Ugh!" Lily seems to be taken back by the cutting words of Lake, who keep the smiling front even after the subtle threat.
"Mother, what this is all about?" I end up asking while the two fairies keep the staring contest on the side.
She smiles before answering, her towering figure not being dimmed by her sitting down at all: "I'm going to enroll you in an Alar's school to learn how to read!"
…Well, that's great news! But it doesn't explain why we are here…
"But because I'll have to make money to pay the teachers, I'll have to be out more often, hunting and searching for fruits, that sort of stuff, so I'm asking Cottonwhistle to watch over over you while I'm gone. I do not intend to leave you alone mind you, but still I would feel a lot more reassured if one of the kind fairies here could accompany you to class while I'm out in the mornings you see…"
…So it is babysitting in the end.
"I think that is unnecessary mother, I can take of myself just fine." I say to upkeep my pride.
"I know hon, but can you indulge me on this please?"
That is hardly an argument, and yet she keeps appealing to emotions and making a pleading face, so I'm left in a state akin to Lily on the side, as if these two were plotting against us all along.
We exchange looks at that, a tiresome sigh wanting to escape my lips, but as mother's eyes lower and a sad light passes quick as lighting, I'm reminded of all her worries these past days since I was born, on how I was attacked, on how losing me would break her heart.
So I end up sighing anyway. "Very well then, if it will calm your heart mother."
Her next smile is beaming with light, and happy she stands, saying: "Oh, I almost forgot, you cannot learn like this, you will need to use my Rune Tablet. Here it is."
At that she uses her wind magic once more to take it out from the bag, the not amusing wooden piece with a symbol carved on it being displayed, holding its hiding immense power with such simplistic aesthetic.
Next she pulls the rope and knots it around my neck, the strange piece looking rather big and heavy on my kitty neck, but it was not weighing as much as its appearance let it out.
"Now, all you need to do is to focus energy on the Tablet, and it will light up and do its work!"
Great teaching skills as always mother, did not understand a thing! Though one thing I learned is to not ask for further details, for it would only worsen my understanding as she starts talking about feeling this, energy that.
Yet I try to somehow focus there, easing my breathing and heart, and entering a meditating state that is still new to me and easily broke from any distraction around, but it was enough so that, when I focus my senses into that weight on my neck, it shone over the rune markings and activated.
And that's how I end up alongside the river, crouched down at the edge of the lake, unable to stop staring at the reflex on the water as the figure mirrored there stares me back, or rather, my own reflect stares me back.
And what I see should not have shocked me… and still does.