Today it is Japan's "Coming of Age" day. Fitting, then, that the next section of Therontales should regard him turning into an adult.
Take care, Caretakers!
Daniel
Coming of Age
Theron couldn’t tell whether it was the poison in the dragon’s blood that had to slowly work its way out of his system, or whether it was his sickened heart from losing his father, but for a long time the days were blank and empty. He could not love life the same. He did not visit the sheep, he did not visit anybody. His sole concern was loving his mother, Shara, and the two of them grieved for months and were a great comfort to each other.
After she had properly processed her husband’s death, Shara said simply, “I’ve seen Mattriama face to face and survived. Samsoar, your father, is a good man, and lives, even now, and waits for us. We must live lives worthy of him.”
Soon Shara’s mother and step-father came to live with them in their small mansion, in an attempt to try to fill the emptiness. Nobody could replace Father, but after a while, Theron felt the need to fill the house with as much life as possible.
First of all, he became strong friends with Grandma and Grandpa. And after a while, when the pain had passed, he felt free to explore his new power: he could talk with animals. Visiting the sheep was a wonderful adventure. He spoke to them all, and though they did not exactly speak as humans speak, they had a language equally intelligent and nuanced. The dragon’s blood gave him a start. He still spoke with an accent, but now he could figure out all the problems with the sheep he had to intuit before, such as if Belamooth was sick: turns out she was just angry at the herd and it was psychosomatic.
Theron would strike up conversations with all the birds and beasts, and was loved by all. Even the grumpy and nasty animals couldn’t resist him long, and that part of the woods became as if enchanted, as if Niviana had never left and taken her immortal friends with her.
The question of Niviana weighed heavily in Theron’s heart, and as he approached his eighteenth birthday, he realized he must go and leave Shara, whom he loved so much, loved, indeed, more than the pupils of his eyes. Not only did he feel it was right to search out his mother, but he felt he had no choice. It became his obsession.
Shara understood. She always understood. She suggested Theron take his father’s bow and arrow, the gift from Mattriama, but this Theron would not do. The bow was too sacred to him. And Theron could tell that Shara needed them, needed to hold the bow, from time to time, to feel as if she were still holding the hands of father. Sometimes she would kiss the bow and cry. Theron knew he must leave it behind.
Nevertheless, he set up a system with the animals, a code of protection so that if anything like the Raugwulf were to come again– Ama forbid it! – then the house and her occupants would be safe. Grandpa also knew how to fire a bow, and was a good man, so he would use Father’s bow and arrow if he had to.
When it was time for Theron to go, Shara revealed that she had sewn him some magical items, including clothes that kept you warm in the cold, or cold in the warmth, and which never needed to be cleaned. She had spent years learning the arts of making this special clothing. She also gave him a ring which, if he held it to his ear, he could hear Shara’s voice.
Of course he brought Ernhurst and his arrows with him, and a good sum of gold he had earned over the years from jewel hunting. He also brought Father’s pipe, in which he would smoke, occasionally, not tobacco, but relaxing herbs and spices.
With great sadness to leave Shara, but with a greater hope at the adventures that awaited him, Theron left the home he had known his whole life, and walked into the wilderness, with no destination in mind.
\ ~@M@~ /
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