The Unthought Fate [MxM]

Chapter 2

    Vlad

  We were traveling for a whole week by now and the weather was easily beginning to get colder. We would have to find a more permanent shelter soon, one that would accommodate us for the winter.

  Because we were going by foot, it was a slow process, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe for some it would be boring or tiring and it is not easy, but I enjoy the little things in life.

  Every once in a while me and my dad would split up. As independent as we were, we still needed informations and some supplies, like clothing or food. And since it was out of the question for me to go and get said things, I would hide in a small hole or very high up in a tree, while my dad was making the short trip to the village. The bigger the village, more chances of finding a hidden refuge for shifters, some were running from the war before it got to them, some were already injured and wanted to either heal and run back to fight or run for their lives. I run for my life, so no judgment there.

  My dad was very good with his hands, a sort of craftsman and he made awesome bows and arrows and exchanged them for what we needed. Usually a bow and a dozen of arrows were enough to get food for a whole month, that's how good my dad's work was.

   While I was waiting for him I had time to enjoy my favorite activity, meditation.

  I know it's weird, that I should be playing, not doing meditation, but I do play all the time while traveling and practice my fighting skills at the same time. I can be quite creative and my dad never misses an opportunity to make a prank or say a stupid joke. Last time he tried to trick me into believing he was ill and made me search for a certain plant for his fever and in the meantime he scattered my clothes in all the holes he could find and blamed the squirrels. Sometimes I wonder who is the child in this relationship!!!

  But meditation gives me the opportunity to connect with nature, because nature is life and I love life. I take deep breaths and relax my muscles, my senses become sharp and I listen to the sounds that surround me, the smells in the air, I let my body feel the ground's vibration from all the animals and insects that live in it. This is bliss for me, I can feel my soul energized, it makes me happy.  Remember when I said that I have no powers? Well, it is very true, but my meditation is my semi, half wannabe power.
While it doesn't do something to others, it allows me to see my surroundings with my senses, it creates a mental map of the life around me. It's not something I can do fast and easy, and not even that accurate.

  Unfortunately, it doesn't last long because my father returns rather quickly and brings me back to the present when he makes his presence know by our special sound. In order for me to know it's him and not someone else, we have our own signal, it a short whistle followed by a sequence of high pitched sounds and it ends with another short whistle. It's not as long as it seems, in reality it's quite fast, but that makes it unique and hard to replicate, especially since Eric is a bird shifter and high notes are easy for him even in human form.

  Once I see my dad and take in his face, I know he brings bad news, his grim look said it all, you don't even have to know him to tell it's not what he wanted to come back with.

  "Vlad, it's not that bad." Is the first thing he blurted.

  "You started your sentence with my name dad, which is bad and you continued with it's not that bad", while trying to imitate him "which is worse, so now the only sane conclusion is that you bring really bad news" I tell him without blinking an eye.

  "Damn it, why do I fell like the child all of the sudden?" it's his only response.

  I look at him and I can't stop to think the same thing, but I manage to say "What are the news dad?"