Tales of Lacra: Chapter 1 Coming of Age
Tales of Lacra: Chapter 1
Coming of Age
Long ago the great nations of Lacra lived together in harmony, but greed, lust, and distrust between the great nations slowly created a great rift that eventually lead to all out war between four of the five nations: The Canines, Felines, Dragons, and Reptiles, began to battle for dominance over the land and to enslave one another. While the fifth nation the Marines detached their grand underwater cities to float along the currents of the oceans in protest of the war.
"The war is now verging upon it's 53 year anniversary, with no signs of any of the great nations giving in" A black wolf turned from the chalkboard with a scrutinizing stare as he surveyed the students making sure they were paying attention. "Can any of you tell me who the Canines' greatest ally in this war is?" he asked in a monotone.
A brown coyote raise his hand, "Yes, Eon?" the black wolf said hoping for a correct answer for once from the coyote.
"That would be the Equine Mercenaries" Eon said with a smug look, his muzzle twisting up in a small smirk while he rested his cheek in a paw.
"Correct" the black wolf responded as he turned back to the chalkboard and wrote it down. "Now. How about the Felines? Who has allied themselves with them?" the black wolf asked, spitting the word 'felines' with disdain.
A white paw rose up into the air, "That would be the bears. Sir" A wolf answered, turning to Eon and smiling smartly.
"Oh, is this a rarity Loryn of White Mane. Paying attention for once?" the black wolf jibed, writing down the answer without looking back.
Loryn leaned over and whispered something into Eon's ear, causing the coyote to chuckle as well. The black wolf turned on spot, shooting a warning glare at the pair and speaking. "Would you two mind enlighten us on what so funny?"
"Well you got some chalk dust on your tail sir" Loryn said in the most polite tone he could muster, pointing a finger at the wolf.
"It makes you look like a black fox" Eon chuckled again. The instructor slapped his paw against his face and groaned.
"Would you mind paying more attention in class, rather than my tail?" the instructor responded as he brushed off the chalk dust and returned to writing on the board.
"But sir. We're already two for two. A personal record I believe." Loryn answered smartly, earning a chuckle from the whole class. The black wolf heaved a sigh and shook his head, deciding to ignore the comment.
An hour passed as the teacher finished up the rest of his lecture on the origin of the 'Great War of Lacra" and dismissed the class with more enthusiasm than he'd given the in lecture, the class rushing out in a wave of excited, jabbering fur.
Loryn and Eon walked out of the halls and into the afternoon sun, chuckling as they made their way to the academy courtyard, providing an unobstructed view of their grand six leveled city made primarily of gray granite, harvested from the Draconic Mountains, back when the trade routes were still thriving between the two nations.
Eon sprawled himself across a bench, leaving no room for Loryn to sit, "Man that was great Loryn" Eon laughed, resting his arms beneath his head.
Loryn chuckled as he grabbed Eon's legs and spun him around giving himself room to sit down, "ha-ha a great last joke before we head out" he chuckled back.
"Think he'll catch on before the end of the day?" Eon mused, chewing on his lip as he watched the sky and clouds roll by.
"Probably not, He didn't even bat an eye when the 'dust' didn't come off." Loryn replied, leaning against the back of the bench and resting his arms along it.
"Well anyone the big bad white wolf want to breed before we leave?" Eon asked sarcastically with a cheeky smile on his face, and tail swaying as his mind traveled off.
"Been thinking about trying to but, I have no luck" Loryn shrugged his shoulders not really caring about it. Eon mumbled something in response about a wolf he was thinking about, but was to far gone in his day dreaming to care if Loryn hear or not.
Loryn patted Eon's belly playfully, "Well, I'll see you up and early tomorrow" he got up from the bench, giving a wave as he walked away, towards the Academy gates and towards the trams which would carry him to his district on the second level of the city.
Loryn got onto the tram and pick a seat next to a window. The tram jerking as Loryn watched the four foxes at the front, each proficient in earth magic move the tram along, sitting in a circle, each focused on their paws, energy arching from each one as they propelled the tram on it's hourly runs.
Loryn cracked the window open, letting the wind blow through his head fur as he watched the other canines in the lower levels going about their business and walking along the narrow streets while the trams passed them over head, brought into motion by the mages in each tram, enchanting the layers of sand in the trough to push and pull them along. The tram jerked upwards as it hit a ramp, climbing higher, approaching the second level of the city, where Loryn's home resided.
The second level was home to the higher-ranking mages, wolves, and nobles of the city, second in grandeur only to the first level, where the castle and king were located. The castle had been the first building in the city, built on a section of a mountain, and at the advent of its creation, the kings could look out and see all the canines villages. But with the growth of the species and addition of the levels, the view was gone, replaced by the towering multi-leveled building of the second, third and fourth levels, holding more than the entire spread out nation back in that time.
With another Jerk the tram came to a hissing stop, signaling to Loryn to get up from his seat. He walked out of the tram and onto street, navigating down a few alleys before reaching the main street, and began walking towards home.
Loryn walked to the front door of a multiplex stone building, seven stories high, a large bathhouse coming out the side. On the double doors marking the entrance there was a golden insignia inscribed with a wolf's head, it's mane painted white bearing the words "White manes". Loryn turned the nob and strolled inside whistling to himself setting his school sack onto the ground, close to the doors. The first floor was a large open room, a table centered in the middle, forty seats pushed in and currently empty, waiting for dinner when they'd be filled by Loryn's family. He started up the stairs, his ears twitching as he heard noises emanating from the kitchen above.
"Hey mom I'm back" Loryn called out as he walked into the kitchen, rubbing the back of his neck, trying to get the stiffness out of it. He found his mother working away on dinner, stationed at one of the stovetops, stirring a large pot of something.
"Hey sweetie, how was class," she asked, stirring the pot. Loryn sniffed the air, getting an idea of what was planned. The pot his mother was working with smelled sweet like corn, and there was some sort of meat concealed within the oven, cooking away. Three of his aunts were busy slaving away at the counters, kneading dough. He gave them a wave and moved aside for two of his cousins to pass, taking washcloths to wash the table for dinner tonight.
Loryn smiled, "The usual" he answered, chuckling to himself as his tail swayed from side to side-in amusement. Loryn's mother smirked but didn't turned around,
"So you pulled the joke on your teacher?" she asked as she turned a nob, the fire below the pot shrinking, decreasing the heat so she could walk over to sit with her son.
Loryn chuckled as his mother turned to face him, "Well Eon was the one who started that" Loryn's mother giggled and shook her head slowly, "You and that Coyote seem to get into so much mischief" She responded.
"Hey. We weren't caught this time." Loryn snickered. "Almost wish I could see him tomorrow... When he realizes what that powder was..." Loryn's mother rolled her eyes as she ruffled his head fur playfully and sighing.
"Go on and get your stuff packed. All right Hun?" she asked giving her son the old puppy eyes. Loryn returned the same eyes as they commenced a bit of a staring contest before Loryn began to chuckle and then hugged his mother.
"Alright I'll get it done before dinner is ready." He said as he got up from the chair, giving a wave goodbye to his aunts and making the long climb to his room at the top floor. He stepped through his doorway, sighed, and then walked over to his bed to making sure his mother got everything he truly needed clothes wise ready for him. He then proceeded to his closet and pulled out a large strapped bag from it. After giving it a quick shake he set it on the bed and began packing the clothes into it. Once all of his clothes were packed into the bag he moved over to his desk, opening the individual drawers looking at the assortment of dried and ground herbs he had collected, or been given by family members. Loryn examined each one, picking the ones he thought he would need on his trip with Eon. Most were simple remedies for common infections and poisons that they might come across and knowing Eon's predisposition to colds and allergies like Loryn did, he knew they would need them.
Loryn moved back and packed them into the duffel bag along with his mortar and pestle he used to grind them into their powder forms for easy consumption and use. He looked at the space left within the bag, nearly half of it full, and mentally went through a list of what he need: Clothes, healing herbs and powders, his healing books, maps, coin, and then bed roll. He then snapped his fingers as he went to his nightstand and grabbed the necklace his mother gave him on the day of his birth. A simple silver chained necklace, with a small blue crystal, enchanted with his mother's image and the baby version of himself hugging one another.
Loryn smiled as he thumbed it a bit then placed it into the duffel bag in it's own pocket, locking it. He placed the duffel bag down and moved back, taking his walking staff that was situated near the door, next his short sword in it's sheath, and grabbing them both set them on the bed next to his bag.
Just as he was about to check through his bag, he heard one of his family members calling him down for dinner. Loryn sighed, as he knew his father would patronize him for not finishing his packing. But the white wolf exited his room and headed down the stairs to the dinning room, finding an unusual site, only his parents were sitting at the table and no one else. Dinners were typically a family affair where the entire family would site down and eat, as a group, to strengthen the pack bond between them, as was custom. For only his parents to be present at the table signified something important, if it could keep the rest of the family away from a ready meal. Loryn's mother motioned for Loryn to sit down in between the two as several plates with various dishes from roasted chicken to cream corn lay in an elaborate set upon the table.
"Is everyone else going to come down?" Loryn asked making his way to the table, finding his nerves building fearing that something must be wrong, but the feeling was dispelled when his mother placed a gentle paw on his shoulder.
"Not this time we wanted to spend dinner with our only son" She said smiling while the wolfess started dishing out equal portions of the food for everybody three that were present at the table.
Loryn took his plate with a small smile on his face as he waited until everyone was dished up, his father sitting there, quiet and serious, giving a small nod with his head to signal when he had enough on his plate, then Loryn's mother returned to her spot and smiled at her son.
"My little boy coming of age already" She said with a wide smile and a tear in her eye. Loryn smiled back as his chest swelled with pride, sitting straighter and his tail thumping lightly against the back of his chair. Loryn's father gave a fake cough hinting for his son to calm himself down and act his age. Loryn stopped moving his tail and looked apologetically at his father, his ears flushing slightly.
His father gave a small smile as he picked up his glass of wine and sipped from it, and giving a nod, lifted his silver wear and began to eat, the signal to Loryn and his mother that they could start as well.
Loryn's mother proceeded to praise him for all of his accomplishments from mastering his healing magic, his excellent knowledge of herbs, and his achievements in the academy. Occasionally she drifted off topic, reminiscing of Loryn's infancy, and his early childhood plunders that brought chuckles from the wolfess and made Loryn lower his ears in embarrassment. Every once and a while, his father's muzzle would curl slightly in a faint smile showing through his stone facade.
Loryn continued to eat as his mother continued to praise, until finally his father gave another fake cough, causing Loryn's mother to quiet down a bit so he could speak.
"Now son you carry the families future with you so don't let any sign of danger escape you... and watch out for Eon." He said in a stern voice, taking another sip of his wine and giving a soft smile.
Loryn put down his silverware and bowed his head at his father respectfully, "don't worry father, I will. And I'll keep Eon out of trouble" Loryn chuckled as he picked up his silverware again and continued eating his dinner.
"That's all we can ask." His mother smiled, knowing how much of a handful Eon can be, especially around the ladies. Loryn gave a short laugh, briefly forgetting himself in front of his father. "He doesn't tend to be terribly picky..." Loryn's mother commented with a chuckle, turning to look at his father. "Just like you use to be." Loryn's father chuckled for once with that small smile back on his face.
Loryn resumed eating, letting his parents have their moment, going over once more in his mind the supplies he still had to pack. 'Sleeping roll, coin purse, his bathing supplies, and.' there had to be something else he reasoned, mulling it over in his head. His attention was turned to the sound of his father's silverware dropping onto the table. Loryn's father slowly got up from his chair and walked out of the dinning room without a word.
Loryn's mother sighed a bit as she finished up with what she had left. Loryn placing his silverware as well onto the table and stood, but instead of leaving the room like his father he walked over to his mother giving a hug and kiss on her cheek, "Thanks for dinner mom" He said with a wide grin on his face.
"Best enjoy it Loryn," She smiled back giving a peck to his cheek, "it is your last home cooked meal for quite some time." Loryn's mother added, standing and beginning to set out clean plates for the rest of the family. "Go get cleaned up before you go to bed honey" Loryn's mother said as she called out for the other family members to come down for dinner. Loryn gave a short bow and walked off, navigating through the onslaught of hungry wolves that were coming into the dining hall.
Loryn made his way to the bath house, which, accurate to its name, was itself the size of a house, a large 'tub' of hot water constantly being circulated through irrigation canals, with specially made filters that helped to keep the water clean of loose fur and dirt. Loryn walked to where the towels were hanging, pulling one from the rack and carrying it with him to the cubby housing his own fur cleaner made by a local merchant. To Loryn it reminded him the smell in the air after rain, crisp, clean, and refreshing. He would be sad to have to go without it for the few years he'd be gone.
Loryn carefully place his towel and shampoo onto the edge of the pool, and then climbed in, heaving a hiss of relief as he felt the warm water seep into his fur. Loryn lowered himself into the water letting his head submerge for a few seconds before shooting his head out of the water giving off a sigh as the water cascaded down his head and onto his chest. That was something else, he realized, he would be without the comfort and luxury of hot water. When he wanted to bathe, it'd be either in a cold river, or he'd have to heat the water himself. Loryn rolled his shoulders as he reached over and grabbed his container of shampoo, holding the leather skin delicately in his paw as he squirted a glob out, and began lathering the shampoo into his head fur and mane, the suds flowing down his back. He then submerge his head again rinsing off the shampoo, and coming back up, proceeded to lather his paw again, getting ready for his fur. He proceeded to lather the soap into his chest fur and reached around to get his back as best as he could before taking another dive to wash the shampoo away. He then he got out of the pool and squeezed out yet again another glop of shampoo and lathered up his legs, butt, and crotch before jumping back into the pool with a splash, enjoying the quiet of the bath house and ability to break a few rules as he began to swim laps around the pool letting his thought flow like water, and trying to comprehend what his life would soon be like for the next few years, traveling with Eon around the whole of the Canine nation.
Feeling he had enough he swam the back to the edge and got out of the pool, grabbing his towel and began to dry himself off from head to toe, then he shook himself and with a poof, his fur fluffed, up which Loryn thought was really annoying when his fur does that after a good wash.
Loryn wrapped his towel about his waist and placed his shampoo back into his cubical, walking out of the bathhouse and up the stairs to his room. As he walked into his room where he found his father sitting on his bed, deep in thought, and oblivious to his son's presence.
"Do you need to speak with me?" Loryn asked snapping his father out of his thoughts and got up from the bed and turned towards his son then placed on a paw on his shoulder. Loryn's father took a deep breath, "Through out your life we haven't really had a one to one talk... Up until now," Loryn's father smiled gently for the first time in Loryn's life, which shook the wolf, it wasn't the almost snide and condescending smile that drifted across his muzzle, but a genuine heartfelt smile. "I don't think I need to impress upon you how important this journey is... Every young male does it, it's our chance to go out and roam to be free and enjoy ourselves before being called back to the pack..." Loryn was about to say something but his father cut him off with a paw. "Even though you didn't follow the path that I wanted you to go on, I've watched you progress in trade you found enjoyable and as you achieve higher feats..." Loryn's father stopped for a second or two as his stone face cracked and shattered, turning into one of pride and happiness as a tear weld up in his eye, "I have never been more proud of you in my life." With that he threw his arms around Loryn, hugging him.
Loryn, for a second was shock, and then he was overwhelmed with emotions, as for the first time, he buried his muzzle into his father's neck and hugged back, trying to hold back a sob as father and son shared a moment. They broke apart feeling a little awkward but joyful at the same time, "Make sure Eon doesn't get too many girls pregnant." Loryn's father chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with a paw and then moving out. "Go on and get finished. Make sure you have everything you need." Loryn gave a short bow.
"I'll get right on it" He said happily. Loryn's father's muzzle solidified again, regaining its smirk and patted the back of Loryn's head,
"That's my pride and joy," He said leaving the room, somewhat of a bounce in his step. Loryn watched him for a moment, then turned back and kicked his door shut. He went over his stuff that he had back and thought for a moment or two for what else he would need. Just then he snapped his fingers and went back to his desk and looked through the individual drawers until he found one labeled, "Battle Herbs" and placed the contents into his duffel bag. Nodding to himself as he put a cloth over the glow rock that was on his night stand killing what light that was in the room and laid down onto his bed looking at the ceiling as thoughts of what adventures Eon and he would get into before they returned back home.
Grabbing the blanket rolling around settling himself down as he let sleep take him because tomorrow is going to be an early one.