Vol.2/Chapter 4: Surprise

Theo's POV:

Phew, that was tough. I didn't know having to escort the mother of a fallen comrade would be this heartbreaking.

As I was walking back towards our home, I saw the faces of each and every one of us: tired, despaired, slowly losing our hope. The sadness of our loss is irreparable. Some houses either burnt or destroyed completely, many of our brethrens are injured, the supply of our food is slowly dwindling down. It's just a matter of time that the people will break down yet I still firmly believe, we can get through this. As a matter of fact, I saw my dad, the Chief, ordering some men around to hunt for food. Fortunately enough, our whole trip in the Redwoods and hunting Longhorned Anguses payed off. There's still a lot of meat supply due to the fact that Iresh, Luca's own shadowmane (ain't jealous or anything), didn't ate a single bite. In fact, she brought the meat towards a safe place before joining the fight.

"Dad! Do you need my help or anything?", I approached my father.

"Oh son, there you are. For now, there's nothing to be taken care of. Can you just find your mother for me? I need to talk to her.", He was obviously tired but he still tries to handle the situation calmly.

"No problem, I'll let her know. On the other hand, Dad, please rest up. I know everything that has happened is heartbreaking especially...Tyla's death. But you still need to take care of your health. If you can't do it for yourself, do it for me and for everybody. We still need you.", I try to convince my father to take it easy.

"You remind me so much of myself when I was younger. Before, I was trying so hard to convince my parents to take it easy.", He chuckled. "They were maintaining our tribe all the time so sometimes, I try to persuade them to take the day off and so they did. I handle the tribe alone and boy, was it hard."

We both laughed on the story and yes, I can now feel how hard it is to take care of everybody.

"That's why when I'm gone, my son, I want you to be the responsible leader of this great tribe. Protect everyone and everything you rule. Be benevolent and wise." He put his hand on my shoulder whilst looking at my eye. His eyes are so sad and tired but brimming with hope.

"You can count on me, Dad. Teach me everything I need to learn and I will try to, no, I will become a responsible leader for everyone.", He hinted a smile before nodding.

After our whole conversation, Dad entered the tent and rested up. Everything I've experienced, the hardships and the happiness, I know someday it will pay off. For now, let's focus on the task at hand, I need to find my mo--

("What a nice conversation you had with your father."), a mysterious voice of a woman started talking in my head.

"Wh-who are you? What do you want with me?", I was surprised with the sudden event that I desperately find for the source of the voice.

("Calm down, boy. I'm talking to you through telepathy. You look like an idiot talking to yourself.")

I saw some other wolves getting confused with my action so I tried to hide before talking back to the voice using my mind.

("Show yourself. Where are you hiding?!"), I'm still trying to find who is the mysterious figure talking to me.

("Hiding? What do you mean hiding? I'm just here in plain sight. Just use your eye and you'll find me, hihi."), the voice tried to further taunt me.

("Huh?! What are you talking about? Who are you? Get out of my head."), I was getting pissed with the intruder that I'm practically just kicking dirt.

("Sigh. Just look under the apple tree.")

The only thing that were under there were the graves of Tyla and the other wolves, and Iresh who was lying down beside it. I still tried to find who is talking to me when I noticed that Iresh was looking at me.

("You know, boy, you are really stupid. I'm directly looking at you and yet you still try to find your imaginary intruder.), Iresh shook her head.

("Huh? HUUUUUHHH?! Y-YOU CAN TALK?!), I was really surprised that I sprang up from where I stand and landed on my ass.

("Well, not really talking but telepathy. Sigh, why are you on the ground? Your mother's literally doing magic and yet you're still afraid of a big talking cat?"), Iresh bellowed at me in a provoking tone.

("S-shut up! T-those are two different things. And besides, does Luca knows about this?"), I stood up and walked towards Iresh.

("Of course not, you are really stupid. That's why I need your help finding him. I saw him walking towards that direction and then he disappeared.", Iresh looked at the direction of Luca's house.

("Sigh, come on. Let's go find him. Also, anyways, can you telepath with other people too?"), I asked.

("Of course I can, if they have a low mental capacity or is willing to talk to me.")

This cat just called me stupid in the most formal way possible.

I rode Iresh towards Luca's home. The windows and the doors are covered and locked yet there were light coming from inside it. I'm hearing some voices faintly so I tried to eavesdrop on them.

"We fear that you may not be just an offspring of normal mythicals.", I can hear Luca's mother's voice but who are they talking to?

They are talking about that prophecy that was made before. Our god Lunala and the god Ignis had an offspring before they both vanished. Ignis died by an unknown cause and was thought to be killed by her wife while Lunala just disappeared completely with their baby.

"Sigh, are you serious right now? Luca, this is the prophecy everyone in Espoir knows." That was my mother talking to Luca.

Wait, Luca?? Isn't he supposed to be a human. What do they mean that he is an offspring of a mythical and what does he have to do with the prophecy? I am confused.

"My child, I fear this might be you."

No, wait. This is impossible. Luca is a human, he should never be an offspring of any mythical.

("Or maybe he isn't. You really are stupid. Do you think where does his powers come from? A normal human could never do that. Also, I can hear everything you think, we're still connected with the telepathy."), Iresh looked at me in both smug and frustration.

("But wait? What does he have to do with the prophecy?"), I questioned Iresh.

("Sigh, I guess you still doesn't realize it. Think harder.")

After some thinking, I barged into Luca's home, surprising the three.

"L-Luca?! Y-you are the lost baby of the gods?! What the fuck?!", My mother then swiftly hit me in the head and covered up my mouth, effectively silencing me up.

"T-Theo? Why are you here? How much did you hear?", Samira asked me worriedly.

"Enough to get worried but don't worry, I'll be sure to be quiet and not anyone else know.", My mother looks at me in frustration after she let go of her hand.

"You idiot. Be quiet about this, even with your Dad. We don't want unnecessary turmoil after all that happened.", My mother said.

We were all thinking quietly when suddenly, we were surprised when a naked woman suddenly entered the house. She is no human at all. She has black ears like a cat and a long black tail. Her figure is slender and well endowed. Her eyes is twinkling like the night. She locked the door and introduced herself.

"I guess you all realized it now. My designated name for me by Master Luca is Iresh so please, just call me Iresh. Nice to meet you all. I'm Master Luca's Shadowmane."

"WHAAAAAATTTT????!!!"