Within the addition of a few cup-full of seeds to the bucket of worms and Kano’s batch of Chitpulka feed was ready. He then left the storage sheds before heading towards the coop whilst he himself filled with dread.

I’l be fine, its not like yesterday is going to repeat itself, he reassured himself even as flashbacks of his friend getting absolutely toyed and bullied by Chopeck replayed in his mind and rattled his nerves. Wait…. I can, no I need to get some vegetables for the Sowigans! So I don’t have to do an extra trip back to the coop…

Kano then dropped his bucket of squirming worms by the open gate, before he headed back into the kitchen where Dittat parted ways with him as he fetched the egg basket. The normally rowdy little guy was done with their adventuring for the day after having spotted his own nightmare-inducing nemesis. Kano simply bid the wee guy goodbye with the carrier in hand, before he headed back out and in the direction of the orchard.

I wonder how the Blinkers are going to act today, after the attack they went through yesterday, divines that was intense as Realms, he wondered as he walked by the haybarn with his eyes scanning the fence. Sure enough, he was quickly able to spot the small round forms of the Owlmite sentries as they stood vigil over the borders to their territory. He then slowly approached the orchard before breaking off to the left and towards the vegetable patch, with the sentries finally spotting him and calling out their hooting alarm calls.

It was expected but slightly disappointing to Kano, for after they had been brothers-in-arms he had expected differential treatment. But it was not to be, so he then slowly swerved off the well beaten path the bordered the fencing of the orchard. He did so because he was wary and sought to make some distance and potentially avoid any rogue spells that could soon be flung his way.

Kano wasn’t taking any chances today and erred on the side of caution, for he wasn’t in any particular mood to be shot at by a bronze-ranked Blinker.

Soon enough and his fears were justified. For just as he rounded the front corner of the orchard that bordered upon the vegetable plot, a new and larger Blinker joined it’s alarmed brethren that tailed and hollered at Kano from the tree line.

It was a large bronze-ranked individual, with its stripy pattern matching one of the pair that fired off the wicked final spell at the Lesser-Garuda the day prior. With this particular specimen looking very angry and annoyed at having to deal with another trespasser so early on in the day, with it’s normally large owl-like eyes frowning in displeasure.

Divines I better run, I don’t want to get shot at by that guy and it’s not like I can use this basket to block a spell, Kano thought even as he backed away slowly, knowing that the wicker basket would very likely be damaged if he used it to defend from a nasty Ground-spike.

But then what happened next surprised Kano beyond words, for the bronze-ranked Blinker quickly identified him before turning on its smaller brethren. It smacked them around with its tiny feathered arms along with a couple of well-placed angry pecks as it hooted in a sharp tone before storming off, back into the underbrush. Leaving a couple of roughed up little sentries that were just as surprised as Kano.

What is happening? wondered Kano as he continued onto the vegetable patch. His sentries had stopped following him as he picked his vegetables, with only one tiny belligerent Blinker still spying on him from behind a tree. But it did not hoot and it did not make itself known as a territorial Blinker usually did, just before they attacked when the rest of their den came along as reinforcements.

The big one was smart enough to recognize that I am no threat to them…. But I’m not sure as to how far this friendship goes. So maybe I won’t go dancing about inside the Orchard just yet.. just to be sagely about it. He surmised even as he started to head back to the house after he was done with his vegetable-picking.

The changed dynamics of his relationship, from hostile to neutral with the Owlmites was a pleasant one. For Kano wasn’t particularly keen on having to run away from his duties of tending to the vegetable plot whenever the Blinkers felt agitated, got riled up by the Gildronfly or even if it was just a rainy day. They just hated him on rainy days for some reason.

Plus what I just saw means they can properly talk between each other with those hoots, and there is some sort of ranking based on level within the same Den, he absentmindedly speculated to himself as he cleared the side of the storage sheds on his way to the back courtyard to wash his fruits. But once he rounded the corner, he spotted a dark-skinned man who was waiting by the door at the back to the kitchen.

The shining and bald Onyx-colored head of Mr. Shivalteek was turned away from Kano and brightly reflecting the morning twins that shone from behind the boy. In that very moment with the shining skin of the Firekin that eagerly reflected the glow of the morning twins, along with his beautiful white robes, he painted the perfect picture of a holy man to the boy that approached from across the courtyard. Beside the Firekin merchant, was his usual hot-balloon/basket contraption that he would usually levitate using a well-controlled flame that followed him about on his house visits.

“Salutations to you, on this most wonderful of mornings, my fine young Kano!” greeted Shivalteek in his sing-song voice before twirling round to blind the boy with his incandescent smile.

He said hello to me before he even saw me again, it’s his mana sense skill thingy again…. Divines I wish I can do that too someday.. it’s so cool, Kano thought to himself even as he answered with, “Good morning mister Shivalteek, you here for the eggs?”

“My it beggars my belief, to meet one so young yet with a wit so sharp!... Indeed it is so, my good young master,” replied the charming Firekin as he begun to conjure a small blue flame to dance in front of Kano’s face. The boy looked on in wonder at this beautiful display before Shivalteek continued, “Now pray tell, do you happen to be in possession of the whereabouts of your dear father?”

Seeing that the boy was still captivated by his small displays of which he made sure was out of the boy’s reach, gave the Firekin another smile before he sent the tiny Puissant Fireball up into the sky before he cut his connection to it. With its mana source gone the blue ball of plasma extinguished into nothingness with nothing but a silent “puff.”

“I beg your pardon, for it is my no other than my own folly, to detract your astute awareness with my paltry displays, even as I asked you my good master, where is your dear father on this fine day?” asked Shivalteek once more in something that seemed like a song. He did so with embellished sorrow before his dazzling smile was once again plastered on his face like the twin moons shining on a cloudless night.

“Oh I think he’s sleeping off the drink mister Shivalteek, him and Mister Tars had a few last night,” explained Kano with a curt little nod towards the upper floor of the house.

But to the surprise of the two and before the Firekin was able to shoot out another long winded reply, came the sound of Lem hollering in the grassy fields beyond the Kaholin range. The pair only was able to catch the sight of Lem after they rounded the back of the house and walked past the Kaholin stables by a few steps. The large Capyban man was shouting at the Firekin in greeting, but the words he said was undecipherable due him being on the other side of the grassy field that was quite the distance between the two parties. Lem also did so whilst madly waving about a large scythe over his head, that glinted menacingly in the morning twins.

“My what a juxtapose, to be greeted with such fervor that it warms your heart, but to do so whilst also beholding such an ominous sight,” joked Shivalteek before he winked down at Kano beside him.

The boy in turn was not able to fully grasp the joke, but smiled in return anyways. For the ex-War mage was a type of man who made others smile easily, even without a high Charisma stat.

Then the merchant gently reduced the intensity of his fireball that fed the warm air into his balloon that followed him, and letting his contraption gently lower to the ground before he extinguished his smaller fireball altogether.

“Looks like this is where our meeting ends for today my good young master, but let us part with a dashing display,” he spoke in farewell as he stretched out on leg and exposed his well-polished boot from under the hem of his robe as he performed a half-bow. Then the Firekin summersaulted backwards into the air, before casting an explosion in front of himself mid-air, that boosted him further. Then whilst he was spinning madly in the air, the merchant then casted another explosion on his right side that sent him careening in the air into the grassy field instead of the Kaholin Range that he flew above. The merchant then landed nearly a dozen man-spans away from his original position and safely on his feet with his dark arms stretched up into a V above his head. He then lowered his arms before he flashed his signature smile at Kano, before swirling round to greet Lem.

That was amazing! Thought Kano happily along with his musk of joy as he began to to clap for the astounding performance. Then as Mr. Shivalteek walked away towards his father who waited whilst leaning on his scythe, Kano’s applaud slowly died away even if his elated feelings for the performance remained.

He then turned away to continue what he was doing before and quickly washed his vegetables. With the Sowigan’s food in one hand he then collected his Chitpulka feed in the other as he left through the side gate, and towards the Coop.

His happy mood then quickly drained away at the sight of the Chitpulka compound that lay ahead. For there waiting for him, was quite the scary Mood.