Book II Chapter 1

“The Durvies are actually a violent, warlike type of people.” Aarden was awoken by the chirpy voice. He looked around for the lecturer. “They’ve lived in fear more of their own nature than of any outside invaders.”
Aarden finally found the guards, discussing their captors with none other than his pet Spot. He was standing upright, carving a small piece of wood with an extended claw. Aarden had never seen Spot extend a claw. He watched his pet fascinated.
Spot continued yammering about the Durvies until he realized he had more of an audience. He turned to Aarden and his mouth cracked in a smile.
“Hello Aarden,” Spot said as he moved to the cage. “How are you this morning?”
“I’ve been looking for you Spot. You can talk?”
“My name is actually Stubenjolli, and yes, I can talk.” Stubenjolli retracted his claw and extended his hand. Aarden confusedly shook it. Vale roused and dragged over to Aarden.
“Oh, you found Spot,” he said, patting Aarden on the shoulder. Aarden looked at Vale in a daze.
“His name is Stubenjolli,” Aarden managed to push out.
“How are you Master Durmond?” Stubenjolli extended his hand to Vale. Vale also gained a dazed look as he shook the Ingot’s paw.
Mace was also awoken by the chattering and joined the group. “So this is your pet,” he said with a smirk.
“Pet,” Stubenjolli snorted. “I was Aarden’s guardian, appointed by his mother.”
Mace laughed loudly, earning the ire of their guards. Aarden and Vale looked strangely at him.
“Where have you been since the ambush,” Aarden asked.
“I was put in a sack and bounced around roughly. It wasn’t until the next morning that I was brought to Lord Tiyogi to be questioned; or eaten. He immediately recognized his mistake and has provided me all the liberties allotted someone of my stature.”
Vale stifled a laugh and was rewarded with a glare from Stubenjolli. Mace didn’t stifle his and again attracted the guards’ attention. He waved and the guards grunted and ignored the prisoners.
They had been on the road now for three days. The trail had been rough, especially trying to walk with their hands tied.
Aarden had been amazed seeing the army moving. A long column of armored knights, mounted on large warhorses; camouflaged archers skirted the edges, hunting and scouting; supply wagons rolled in the middle, protected by their own guard; and Tiyogi road in the lead, an impressive array of strength and power.
Despite being prisoners, Aarden, Vale, and Mace had been treated fairly. They were forced to march with their hands tied, but were left free during the night. Forn had ridden most of the trip close to the prisoners. Aarden could feel the Elven eyes burning through him.
“So what do I call you,” Aarden asked shyly to his pet.
“I was quite fond of Spot, although only from you. My friends call me Jolli.” The camp was beginning to revive as Stubenjolli continued chatting with his former master.
Vale could hear another conversation nearby. He recognized Tiyogi’s voice and looked around for him. His eyes searched for the Elven commander and finally pinpointed the voices coming from the command tent. It was several hundred yards away; there was no way he could be hearing the conversation from there. But the more he struggled to focus on the conversation, the more he was drawn to that tent. As he watched, Tiyogi emerged from the tent with his brother.
Vale was suddenly aware of several conversations all over the camp. He could hear a couple of soldiers discussing the mush they were being served. He heard the quartermaster whispering soothing words into the ears of one of the war horses. He could hear a group of archers discussing how to flush out rabbits for dinner. Then he heard the rabbit’s heart beat as the hunters passed by the bush where it was hiding.
With his newly found skill, Vale quickly looked in that direction, locating the bush where the rabbit was hiding. His eyes zoomed in and he could see the rabbit’s heart twitching under the fur. A smile crossed his lips as he saw the hunters walk noisily past the terrified animal.
Vale turned to Aarden to ask if he could see it too, when Aarden suddenly collapsed. He cried out and grabbed his head, rolling around in pain.
The guards moved quickly to the cage and banged on the bars, yelling at him to stop. Vale crouched down next to his friend, but Aarden was inconsolable. Mace examined the boy, but could find no physical mark, no cause for the pain.
“Make it stop,” Aarden finally pushed out. He grabbed Vale’s arm, squeezing hard enough to draw blood. Vale yanked his arm out of Aarden’s grasp as Aarden curled into a ball. Finally, the seizure stopped and Aarden relaxed into a sweaty mess.
“What was that,” Vale asked as he tried to help Aarden relax.
“I don’t know,” Aarden gasped out. “All of a sudden, I saw a rabbit in my mind and felt an arrow slide through my heart.”
Vale quickly turned around to look for the rabbit under the bush. It was no longer there, but he could hear the hunters celebrating a kill. He turned back to Aarden.
“You felt the rabbit?”
“I don’t know, I saw the rabbit and then felt the arrow.”
Vale felt a twinge of jealousy. He had this new found ability, but so did Aarden; and it appeared Aarden’s was better.
“Try it again,” Mace said, excited. “Try to feel something else.”
Aarden closed his eyes. He started to sweat as he concentrated harder. Finally, a smile broke across his face. Mace began laughing his deep, thick laugh.
“What is it,” Vale asked, less excited.
“I can feel the trees. The sun is beginning to touch their leaves and they’re soaking up the dew from last night.”
“How is this possible,” Vale asked, pointing to Stubenjolli.
“You’d be surprised what’s possible above ground,” Stubenjolli said, cracking a smile.