I studied the Sky Panther manual until it was time for lunch. In anticipation of her awakening I brought some raw meat with me from the kitchen. To my surprise Esy asked if she could accompany me.
It was uncommon for her to initiate us spending time together. Altrue we became good friends over the last 2 years, she was still reserved when it came to spending time together without supervision from her sister or Hilda. This made it quite the surprise for me to hear her ask if she could accompany me into my room, only the two of us with a small animal. Obviously I agreed, purely because I wanted to have her around.
As we walked into the room the Sky Panther cub was still asleep. She was still laying on the desk with the opened and partially read Sky Panther Manual in front of her. I walked over to the desk and put the meat down, before picking the book back up.
Esy came over and sat beside me glancing into the book that I read from behind my shoulder. The little Sky Phanter stirred in her sleep, most likely because she could smell the food or whatever spell or drug they used to sedate her finally wore off.
The little one was so confused as she found herself in an unfamiliar environment. She even growled at me. I guess she was trying to intimidate me. It was so cute, I felt not one bit intimidated.
Following beastmaster trick 17 of common knowledge I started to slowly handfeed the Sky Panther with the meat I bought from the kitchen.
Trick 17: If you have to deal with a young beast that you want to tame. Feed them.
The book said that it was paramount for a Beastmaster to teach a Sky Panther about hierarchy early in its life. The fact that it didn't explain how a normal Sky Panther pack structured itself was concerning.
It was the first and most important step to establish yourself as Beastmaster instead of just being someone with an extremely dangerous pet.
To clarify, Sky Panthers don't form packs. They are lonesome nomadic hunters. Usually they don't have many chances to mate throughout their life. If a male Sky panther meets a female Sky Panther they fight and only if the male is able to fight the female into submission will he be able to mate with her. If he is unable to submit the female he becomes her dinner.
While I fed the little girl, Esy was watching my every move with eagle eyes. I felt mildly uncomfortable until Esy finally asked: "What is her name? have you decided on one?"
"Not yet. I was thinking about Storm or something else with an awesome ring to it."
"Why does it have to sound awesome? She might be a combat pet but she is still an intelligent, feeling living creature and you should treat her like that! Give her a beautiful nice sounding name that is worthy to call upon your life long partner." Esy's scolding ran deep, she rarely raised her voice which made such an intense outburst surprising. I also realized that she was right, Sky Panter can grow 150 years old without any problem.
"You are right." I agreed with her, "Do you have any suggestions for a Name?"
"Yes, I have indeed a few Ideas that I could suggest to you, which I won't. She will be your partner not mine. I can give you my opinion on your suggestions but the idea has to come from you." Esy spoke in her usual calm tone again.
My first suggestion was "Sharia". It was met with growling from the little Sky Panther herself.
"Obviously not" was Esy's comment.
The second option "Sophia" was also shut down from Esy, her energetic head shaking was borderline hilarious.
Multiple other suggestions that started with the letter S, where all shut down one after another, until I suggested Scarlett which was met with another growling from the SKy Panther.
I let out a desperate sigh until Esy suggested the unthinkable: "Maybe you should try out names that don't start with the letter S. Try something else. If you stubbornly insist on the S because of your first Idea you won't be able to find a name for her." Esy's advice was once again sound, but before I could voice the stupid Idea that was forming inside my mind she added with a dangerous voice: "If you are thinking about suggesting my name, you should stop. I will never talk to you again, if you do that."
"It wasn't my intention at all," I lied, "I was thinking about suggesting the name Athena."
The Sky Panther cub looked at me, as if she was thinking about my suggestion. While Esy nodded her head at this suggestion obviously approving the name.
"Are you Athena?" I asked the Sky Panther again who answered by stretching her wings while looking at me. "I take that as a yes."
I reached out and patted Athena, at least I tried but she dodged my hand. Esy chuckled at this sight. I looked at my new pet, I wasn't found of the fact that it made me look bad. So I grabbed it by the neck, faster than she could react. I was a little rough, but I didn't care.
Athena struggled at the beginning but as I pulled her up and stared into her eyes she calmed down.
"I am the boss here. You do as I say or there will be consequences. You seem to understand what I am saying so act like it. You are Athena and I am your Master. nod your head if you understand," my voice wasn't that friendly anymore. I was mildly taken aback by the threatening tone I used against a small animal.
Athena nodded her head in agreement. Sky Panther are much more intelligent than the manual gave them credit for. Athena had sentience. It was hard to believe that she actually understood most of the things I said.
I used the rest of the day to study the Sky Panther and her sentience together with Esy. The results were as stated. She understood most of what we said. She was only unable to understand the most complicated tasks we tried to make her do. This also did not mean that she was willing to do just about anything we ordered her to do. It would be a lot of work to train the little girl into a perfect combat partner. But that was expected.
I was exhausted as I went to sleep, Athena slept on my desk on a pillow of her own. Esy had left for her own room obviously. Puberty was hitting hard around this time.
Today had been eventful, the academy Freedy Magical Wonderland and Athena. A smile creeped on my face as my mind drifted into sleep.
The Dream that came that day was different. Very different.
It started tame.
Jeremy sat in front of a campfire and was roasting a boar. It took him hours to defeat this beast. I know because it was the content of the previous few dreams.
I ate my fill on the meat and looked up into the sky. In the sky was a massive countdown that was slowly ticking down. It wasn't the first time I saw this countdown. It appeared regularly inside my dreams.
It initially was a countdown from 15 Years downward. It was approaching the 10 year mark. In the 5 Years I had seen from Jermeys life the timer had been an ever present mystery, especially in the beginning.
I watched as the timer passed the 10 Year mark.
"Happy Birthday to your 20th birthday Jeremy and happy new year," My own voice resounded around me, "Thank you for coming."
I closed my eyes and leaned back. Suddenly a stinging pain flooded my body. I let out a shrill scream that cut through the night. The surroundings reflected the soundwaves producing an echo that made me shiver.
I felt my body disintegrating in burning heat. The pain that filled my every being was horrible. Despite the pain I felt I was still aware of my surroundings. The pain was only a little bit more painful than my regular cycle training.
Personally I thought Jeremy was overreacting. But today I am experienced enough to know that that wasn't the case. I had already surpassed him by far. Not only was my pain tolerance higher but my body was also multiple times stronger than his.
But none of that is really important, because the physical pain was soon accompanied by mental pain. I saw how my body started to disintegrate for real in front of my eyes. No amount of words can describe that feeling.
My whole body turned into dust and I should have lost consciousness at this point to die, but that didn't happen. My body had become a dust cloud but it was still my body and it still was part of me.
Then a several meters thick bolt of grayish black lightning hit the dust cloud that my body had become. The energy of the lightning bolt electrified the dust cloud and compressed it back into a humanoid body.
After my body had reformed itself everything had changed.