Days went by and Arin's father wrestled with thoughts of his son's newly appointed Beastlord status. Thornwood kept a distance from Arin because of his status and the powerful Beast that would not leave his side.
Aloe had many people coming up to him and expressing their worries over Arin's Beast. The Shadow Panther was powerful and the disruption at the Spiritualist center put everyone on edge after the raw power displayed.
Despite his best efforts, he couldn't reassure the people and now was sitting across Thornwood's Leader, an old man with a large physique reflecting Thornwood's people with many scars and tattoos decorated across his entire body.
Aloe's tea steamed as he sat across from the Leader in silence. The old man sipped his tea, quietly letting the reason for Aloe's presence, seep into Aloe.
"I think you know why I called you here today, Hunter Leader Drakhar." The Leader spoke as soon as his lips removed itself from the cup. He set the cup and let out a sigh. "Many villagers have come to me with… Worries about your son's Beast. Although I have no qualms with a Beastlord being in our presence, it is also the reason why many are worried. The last time a Beastlord showed themselves, a great tragedy befell the village and took the lives of not only our loved ones, but your wife. I ask this of you, Aloe, not as the Leader nor a Master, but as a citizen of Thornwood, please tell your son to remove himself from the village before great harm comes."
"Leader…" Aloe pushed his feelings aside. "I will do as you ask…"
He struggled to find the right words to say to Arin. Because of the Beastlord all those years ago, Thornwood grew wary of Beastlords because of the Beasts that came with them.
"What should I do, Nora?" Aloe whispered as he returned to the training are of the barracks. He could hear Arin training. He steeled himself and entered the opening in the fence and made his way to his son.
Nocturnis was the first to notice Aloe. It was through Nocturnis, Arin stopped and turned.
"Father!" Arin smiled, lowering his newly made spear. It wasn't as great as the handcrafted one he had before, but it would suffice for now.
"Arin," Aloe lifted his hand. He eyed the Panther before giving his son all of his attention. "I have something to talk to you about."
"What's that, Father?" Arin asked, cocking his head to the side.
Aloe gulped and cleared his throat. He closed his eyes and delivered the news. "The villagers are wary about a Beastlord being in their presence. Although they know you and know you aren't harmful, they're more concerned about the Beast that stands besides you."
The words crashed at Arin with an intensity he was readying himself for. The words that came from his Father's lips still hurt and he immediately looked down.
Nocturnis purred, pressing his head against Arin's leg, clearly feeling his Master's feelings.
"I figured this would happen." Arin whispered. He looked to Nocturnis and patted his head. "You should return to the forest for the time being. I'll call for you when I need you."
Nocturnis silently nodded and ran off, leaving Arin and Aloe alone.
"Do you think they're right?" Arin asked his Father. "That it's unnatural for Man and Beast to be a thing?"
Aloe gritted his teeth. "No one should ever control a Beast. It'll only bring destruction and death! Look what happened to your Mother! If your Mother had kept herself quiet, she would still be alive but she protected you because you ran off!"
Arin's eyes widened. He had barely remembered what happened all those years ago and now more puzzle pieces were spilling onto the table of the unfinished puzzle.
He barely remembered thirteen years ago. He had heard stories of the gods and Ferrowilde being born from his Mother every night. Although the stories framed Beastlords to be worst than Mankind, Mother always revered Beastlords as protectors of peace and the Beasts who cannot speak for themselves.
How could Arin be the reason his Mother died? Didn't they die from a Beast wave?
"If you hadn't gone out of those gates to see Beasts that night, the Beasts wouldn't have flocked to you! Your Mother, all of those people lost that night would've been alive!" Aloe shouted. "My wife would be alive and she wouldn't have died protecting you… She revealed her true self and everyone thought she was someone else… The Beastlord that almost destroyed Thornwood that night…"
Aloe looked at his son and lifted his hand to squeeze Arin's shoulder. "Don't follow her footsteps. Stay here. Stay ignorant. Please. I don't… I don't want to…"
Arin knocked his father's hand away and stumbled backwards. "After you tell me I'm the reason that night? Do you not hear yourself?!? Do you not hear you just told me? That I'm the one w-who killed all those people and Mother?!?"
Energy soared as tears spilled from Arin's eyes. He couldn't remember anything from that night other than his Mother shielding him. He couldn't remember anything else after that and Father is blaming him?
"How is that fair?" Arin's voice shook. The energy swelled and he rushed off.
"Arin!" Aloe shouted, turning. "Come back here! I order you as the Hunter Leader to stay!"
Arin moved, tears blurring the way. The immense sadness inside of him continued to build and for some reason, his father's words were breaking the very foundations.
Arin found himself deep within the forest. He had been sobbing for however long and by the time he came to his senses, he was lost.
The tall Eldergrove trees hunt high. The magic all around him was thick like locusts.
Arin took a moment to try to assess where he is and what just happened. Flashes of a long haired woman with rich earth-colored hair mixed with white appeared in his mind.
'That's not Mother… Who's that?' Arin gritted his teeth. A pounding sensations welled in his head and he collapsed onto his knees. All of his senses scrambled and screams fell out of his mouth. 'What's going on…? I thought… I thought…'
"Arin, be calm now." A calm voice whispered. The pain faded and Arin found himself clutching something furry. "Remember, breathe in and breathe out. It's the first thing you should do in order to figure things out, right?"
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
"Mom, is that you?" Arin opened his eyes to see Nocturnis in his arms. Nocturnis cocked his head, questioning his Master on what he was doing. "I just thought I heard Mother's voice. I must've been hearing things."
Nocturnis licked Arin and looked at his Master, seemingly understanding his question. He moved to lay in front of Arin, allowing the human to let his guard down.
Arin let out a sigh and sat on his butt. He leaned backwards, looking up to the treetops and noticing the blue skies between the leaves. It was a beautiful day and he should be training right about now, but that was all wasted with Aloe's hurtful words.
"What am I gonna do, Noct?" Arin glanced at the Shadow Panther. Nocturnis looked over at Arin, waiting for his Master to finish his thought. "Father doesn't want me and you to be together because of the villagers. They're all worried about what happened thirteen years ago.
"Oh, you probably don't know what happened thirteen years ago, huh? Well, a Beast wave occurred out of nowhere. I don't remember much at all aside from Mom saving me, but my memories are starting to tell me something different after Father… said all of that."
Arin's eyes followed a leaf as it was plucked by the wind and fluttered away.
"Do you think it's my fault Mom died? And what about that whole thing Mom was a Beastlord in hiding?"
Nocturnis got up and placed himself in front of Arin. He sat and looked at Arin. The familiar feeling swelled through Arin's chest and his eyes turned yellow.
[Connection established!]
[Through your unique skill, 'Soulbind,' you are able to hear, see and feel with your Beasts.]
"I was there that night, Master." Nocturnis's low voice spoke. Arin's eyes widened but there wasn't an ounce of fear in his body. Nocturnis turned his head to his left. "I've prowled this place for many, many, many years. I've seen countless of your kind come and go like the leaves. I've seen them blossom and wither. Nature will tell you all you need to know about that night. You only need to look in the right place, Master."
"The right place…? Nature will tell me. How?" Arin leaned in. Nocturnis got up and turned his entire body towards the left and then looked at Arin. "You want me to follow you?"
"If you wish to know what truly happened that night, you must get stronger first. Only strength will allow you an audience with Nature."