105 Age of Steel
The cave was gone, abandoned shortly after the attack, it was now a memory to most of the clan, but a haunting for the boy who had started his training there. Pah walked besides his brother as the continued to moved farther away from the coast and their old life. The boy wanted to sit and feel sorry for himself but they had to keep moving, and in addition there was the training. He had tried to be lathagic the first couple days after the event, but his brother had continued the practice and after some stinging knuckles, and Pah’s own competitive nature. He had turned his focus to learning.
The boy was sore, his legs hurt, his arms hurt, there were places he didn’t know what to call that hurt. He glanced up at his brother, who he was developing mixed emotions about. He had always admired the older boy, but he was very strict and not at all merciful in his efforts to train Pah. The little boy wanted to be brave and wanted to be understand and help, but he was tired, and wanted to feel sorry for himself.
Pah was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to find his grandmother Sarino. Her vibrant blue eyes were looking kindly down on him and then looked at his older brother. “Bakato, I am taking Pah with me.” She said her voice a mix of the loving grandmother, and the higher ranking knight. The young man seemed unsure if he should salute but he settled on nodding. “Come on Pah. We need together some supplies.”
Curious despite his depression Pah followed along behind her. The woman was one of the shortest in his family, but even for a human woman she was tall, just nothing on the towering Avialae men. The boy still felt small following behind her. She paused for a moment and allowed him to catch up.
“So where are we getting supplies Grandma?” Pahoran asked as the began to walk together. His grandmother waved a hand all around them.
“From the world around us.” She said. She then handed over a empty pack to the boy. “You have spent to much time in that fortress. We can get food and other supplies from the world around us.” They continued to walk and his grandmother began to explain different parts of a plant. “Now while this may seem a silly thing to know, but the different parts are important. One plant, could hold medicine, or poison. The leaves might be deadly, while the roots might be a nourishing food.” The boy looked at her in surprise and then at the plants around them.
“So we can use every plant?” He said his ice blue eyes brightening.
“No, many plants just have no value, so that is why it is important to know how to identify plants as well.” His grandmother said. She began to explain the different ways to identify plants, and that you usually need two or three markers to be able to classify them. Pah listened with interest as she began to explain how identify a plant usually required recognizing two or three features and possible more. “You can have some plants with similar leaf shapes, but the quantity might be different, or the flower is different, or you might even need to look at the roots.”
They wander for some time talking before they came to a plant that made his grandmother smile with pleasure. “This is a hazel nut bush.” She said and pointing out identifying features of the bush and then bent down and picked up a nut on the ground. “If its late enough in the season this is one of the biggest clues. These nuts are a excellent source of food.” She looked at the bush and said, “They need about another week, but lets collect what we can and we will have them when they area ready next week.”
Pah eagerly began to collect the nuts, and for a moment almost forgot his pain, both physical and mental. When his bag was about half full Pah noticed that his Grandmother had sat on a rock and was watching him intently. The cute little boy smiled at her as he collected some more nuts. It was then that he noticed she had a few tears in her eyes. He paused, shocked to see his grandmother crying.
This action seemed to bring his world crashing down around him, and he started crying, he began gasping as he cried not sure if he wanted to be silent or howler. The boy wasn’t sure why he this had come from. He was brave, he was tough, and yet as he thought about this the crying intensified. He then found himself wrapped in his grandmother’s arms and felt her warmth, and then her voice saying. “Let it all out.”
And he did. He just kept crying as his grandmother said, “Let it out, I don’t mind,” and repeated it every so often. Though not after to long he felt the crying stop, and felt better in ways he couldn’t explain. He then climbed into his grandmothers lap and wrapped his arms and wings around her and the two rocked back and forth quietly.
“I want you to accompany me anytime I go gathering, and you can tell me anything you need, or you can cry if you need to, and I will teach various survival skills.” She smiled at him, “And we can spend quality time together.”
“I would love that Grandma, but why me.” He asked.
“Because this is hardest on you.” She said kindly. She stood up and began to pick up nuts again. “While your sibling all started training at this age. They still had a home to go to in the evening. They had a room to weep in. You don’t.” She looked into Pah’s eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, you need to learn and your brother is teaching you well. Remember always that he loves you, imagine how much more vicious your enemies, who want you dead will be.”
“But I am only a child.” He said in quiet voice.
“Yes and these people are so consumed by greed, and lust for power, and possible something darker, that they wouldn’t care. Even if they don’t kill you right away, they would take you prisoner and try to harm us through you.” She said softly as they picked more nuts.
“So I need to learn to protect myself.” He said.
“In a way it is how we show we love each other. We fight to keep those we love alive, and to allow light and goodness to fill the world. So that all may have peace to have those they love around them.” She said. She smiled at him and laughed a bit. “The muscles will become less sore.” They were quiet for a while longer as they finished filling their bags.
They started back towards the path and after a while Pah says. “Grandma have you killed anyone before?”
“Yes.” She said kindly.
“I killed that guy.” He said finally willing to face it.
“Yes.” She said again and stopped next to a willow tree. “I haven’t ever liked killing other people.” She said. “There is always pain, and the fact you feel the pain is a good thing.” She said looking down at him. “Unfortunately, sometime we must kill people to save others, or even ourselves. We each must work through it in our own way. I can tell you, that knowing I was helping to save others helps gives me strength.”
Pah nodded not sure what to really say. His grandmother waiting a moment longer before beginning to pull some of the bark of the willow tree. “Willow bark is an excellent medicine to help deal with pain. Don’t tell you brother but lets collect some and I will get you some tea later and it will help with the soreness.”
“Really.” Pah said going up to the tree. His grandmother showed him the best way to extract the bark with out harming the tree. The boy found that he had actually enjoyed spending learning how to survive in the wilds and with his Grandmother.
Eventually they caught up with the family and Pah was greeted with cheers as they saw the two bag full of nuts that had been collected. His Hytori grandmother, Calistra gave him a half hug and knelt down next to him so they could look at some the Hazenuts. She then with a smile explained to him what the word for hazelnut, and even nut was in Mythrasi. He repeated them after to her and smiled glad that she had started working again with him on his Mythrasi something they hadn’t done since a while before the fall of the citadel.
He then was greeted by his parents his dad picked one up and went to crack it when Pah said. “They aren’t quiet ripe yet. Give it another week and they will be perfect.” His father laughed and returned the nut to the bag.
“You are a smart boy Pah.” He said with his fatherly laugh. Pah still hurt but that sound was a good completion to the day.
