calico conversations

Kieran and I return to the fire, and as we do, Decoy nearly pounces on my friend. She and Kieran have been close since they met, and she wants to show him a new dance she's been practicing.

'Cute', I chuckle to myself. 

"Join me in the den, August? I have some sensei-stuff to go over with you."

I tilt my head in Rav's direction. He winks at me before snapping his fingers. The puff of cloud underneath him lifts him higher and then slowly floats off into the direction of his den. 

"Can't I get a lift, too?" I groan. "It's been a long day."

Rav bellyflops onto the cloud. "You're far too young to need something like this. Use your legs!"

"You're only two years older than me!" I remind him. 

I follow after him as he floats into the den. His cloud vanishes as he passes through the doorway, and he deftly lands on his feet, deliberate, measured steps toward the back of the den, his white tail swishing back and forth behind him.

"Oh, my Calico Herb," he purrs, grabbing a nondescript package from off the coffee table and tearing it open. As he fusses around with it, he clears his throat and tilts his head in my direction.

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about. Been meaning to for a month or so, now, but there was never a good time."

He's holding a bundle of his Calico Herb along with a small Arcanic device. As Rav flicks his Arcanic to light the bundle of Calico Herb, a thin trail of pale smoke spirals upward. The scent hits me immediately - minty, sharp, with a faint sweetness that tickles the back of my throat. He puts it up to his mouth and takes a deep inhale, blowing the smoke away before he continues to talk. 

"You heard Deek mention some military issues up at the border, is that right?"

I think back to this morning. She did mention something about a famine, I recall.

"Yeah," I reply. "Refugees trying to come from the north country. Something about a famine? And the Asteria government doesn't want those hungry people to cross the border."

"Hah, yeah. That's one way to put it." He takes another inhale of his Calico Herb, blowing the thick, heavy smoke away. His eyes are already looking a bit red and glassy. 

He holds out the Calico Herb to me, gesturing with it. "Need a hit?" he asks.

I eye whatever he's smoking with suspicion. "No, I think I'm good," I reply. 

"Suit yourself. Probably wouldn't work on you, anyway. Never met anyone besides other cat Ferin who enjoy it."

I sit next to him on the couch, putting my feet up. "So what about this famine? You know something, Rav?"

Rav sets down his Calico 'joint' in an ashtray on the table, curling up cross-legged on the couch and turning to face me directly. "Augs, I just might. You know, Bree gets out that way often. Most of the times when she flies off for a week, she's heading to the north country. Her family lives that way, you see."

Bree is Rav's Vessel - a blue-feathered Ferin who can soar through the sky. Come to think of it, she's been gone more and more the past few weeks.

"That famine they've got going on, it ain't natural," Rav informs me. His tail slithers back over to the coffee table, grabbing his Calico and bringing it up to his mouth so he can smoke some more. If he does much more of that, this conversation might become unintelligible. 

"It's the work of a Magician, or maybe a powerful Arcanic. Can't say much either way without going there, boots-on-the-ground style."

I eye him cautiously. I think I know what he's about to say.

"So, if it is the work of a bad Magician, or some real powerful force," he starts, "Then I might be compelled to step out of retirement. See, I've already saved the world. And there are little calamities poppin' up everywhere. But if something affects the Ferin Village, then I'm gunna intervene, you know? Now, I know this isn't affecting my Ferin Village, but it's affecting Bree's. She's my Vessel. I have to do anything I can for her, you know? I'm sure you know what that's like..."

I understand now why Rav wanted to talk one-on-one about this. This is Magician to Magician. Something that only we understand - the relationship we have with our Vessels. 

Kieran is the most important person to me. At times, I feel compelled to put his needs above my own. This is something that every Magician feels about their Vessel, at least I'd hope so. I know Rav feels that way about Bree.

As my Vessel, Kieran has sacrificed his own freedom. His life, for the rest of it, will be inextricably linked with mine. In the crudest magical terms, he's my power source. He exists for me to utilize...

I understand what our dynamic is on paper. I get it. It's not an equal relationship - I've taken much more from Kieran than I could ever hope to give back. And that's why I do everything I can to make him happy. To be a good friend to him. To try to make up how much he means to me, even a little bit. As I stare into Rav's eyes, I feel all of that and more from him. This is exactly how he feels about Bree. 

"You're going to the northern country, then." 

An awkward period of silence. Rav's ears tilt downward, and he takes one final hit of his Calico before flicking the flame out with the tip of his tail and setting it aside. The smoke unfurls lazily, curling around Rav like a cloak, softening the sharp edges of his silhouette. It drifts toward me, sinking into the cushions and walls, the scent growing heavier with each puff. It's not unpleasant, but it hangs in the air, even after the source is extinguished. 

"I don't mean for it to be so morose. I can't very well leave you to fend for yourself, now can I? There's still so much I have to train you in! So...I was going to ask if you..."

My eyes widen. 

Rav is blushing when he asks. "Well, we can continue your training while investigating the famine, so if you'd...like to...you can come with me." He fidgets with the edge of his tail, trying to mask the vulnerability behind his words.

"I'd love to, Rav." And I would. I was just thinking of what I should do next - I've been here a year, like Rav and I agreed on, and I was worried about overstaying my welcome. This buys me some more time with my mentor, and some on-the-field experience would be great for my style of learning. I can't become an expert just off training dummies, after all.

He seems delighted by my quick approval. "We'll leave as soon as Bree comes back, then. It shouldn't be more than three days."

I'm startled as Rav's cat jumps up onto the couch as he speaks, landing on the back cushion and hissing at me. I hardly ever see her, because she apparently doesn't like non-Ferins. 

Rav looks over to the cat. "Now, now, Stella. Go catch some frogs and leave Mr. August alone."

The cat jumps away, trotting casually outside. She must have been napping under the couch when we came in here. Rav's eye lingers on her until she leaves the den.

"Hey, August. One more thing I wanted to talk to you about, while it's just the two of us. You and Kieran...seems like you made up?"

He's uncharacteristically discerning with his look.

"Yeah, sure," I say quickly. "I mean, it's not like we were ever really fighting. We just had a small misunderstanding."

"Small?" Rav says, vexed. "I see. I wasn't sure if you were clueless clueless, but I see now that you are."

He stretches, his arms (and tail) reaching for the heavens before he falls down backward onto one of the plush pillows in the den. 

"Clueless?" I say, clueless.

"Ah, what the hell. I'm your teacher, after all. I have molded you physically, magically, spiritually - and now I must mold you in the ways of the world."

He leans forward, returning to an upright position, standing and walking over to his drink station. "I need a drink for this," he says, slightly bemused. "You need one too. Trust me."

"A drink? You just smoked that Calico stuff for five minutes straight!"

"Yeah, they're better together," Rav smirks, handing me a glass of his signature bourbon. I've had a tiny sip of it once or twice. It's the nastiest tasting thing I've ever experienced, and it burns my throat. He clinks his glass to mine and drains it all in one gulp. I hold mine up, debating whether or not I'll even take a sip.

"Come on, come on," he says, waving his hand at me. "Just this once, in the spirit of enlightenment."

Eh, what the heck. I tip the glass back, letting the bourbon sear its way down my throat like liquid fire. The burn blossoms in my chest, and my lungs rebel with a violent cough. Tears prick my eyes as I manage a hoarse gasp, the acrid scent clinging to my nostrils. Rav just chuckles, raising his empty glass in a mock toast.

I cough as I try to drink the rest of it just to get the taste out of my mouth, and as I do, I feel a little bit of it coming out my nose. 

"Agh!" I pant, holding my throat and dry heaving, rubbing my nose and my eyes and everything feels crappy right now.

Rav scoots over on the couch and pats me on the back. "Hey, it's all good, man. You took that like a champ. That was like...three shots at once."

I smile weakly. 

"Now, let us talk matters of the heart."