The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

WM [39] Rowdy Monster Hunters

Bjorn found there was a surprising lull throughout the past couple days, Tanisha spent most of the time with the cold infusion basin. Joel gave her a hundred ingots to infuse with various materials, the dreamweaver blood being one of them. Between cold infusion, potion brewing, and selling her wares at the stall, Tanisha barely had a moment to breathe. The afternoons, reserved for combat training, had to start earlier to avoid another confrontation with the innkeeper, whose wrath they'd learned to dodge.

Adelheid had been observing Tanisha and Bjorn's far more intense training regimen. Bjorn noticed her lingering glances, the way her posture would tense as if she was holding back the urge to join in or say something. He even caught her trying some of the moves from the forms when she thought no one was looking. She watched in silence until Joha eventually dismissed her.

It was the last day in the town and it started like any other with flexibility, balance and breathing training in the morning. They followed by an hour or two of inventory management. All the while Tanisha didn't so much as acknowledge Adelheid's presence. In fact Bjorn and Joha noticed pretty early on that Tanisha had not once spoken to the wifwolf who dutifully paced behind them like a lost child.

Both Bjorn and Joha had picked up on it early on. Tanisha's silence toward Adelheid was palpable, an invisible confrontation was brewing just beneath the surface. In the meantime, Joha had kept Adelheid busy, putting her to work gathering supplies or trying to teach her the art of trade. The wifwolf complied, she didn't have a choice and although she was hesitant at first she seemed to be slowly acclimating to Joha. Her eyes frequently drifted toward Tanisha and Bjorn, her expression torn between curiosity and guilt.

"Today is our last day in town. Did you manage to get all the infusions done?" Joha asked Tanisha, his hands deftly arranging items on the table. "Once we are done today we will be continuing to the border."

Tanisha, busy herself, barely glanced up as she responded. "I should be done. I only have a few more to do. It's the new essence Joel gave me that's giving me trouble."

Bjorn couldn't help but agree as he listened in on the conversation from a soft patch of grass he laid down on. He hadn't heard Tanisha curse as much as she had the past couple of days trying to figure out the new essence.

"What did he give you?" Joha asked.

Tanisha pulled out a large feather from her bracelet inventory although it looked more like a golden quill made from actual gold. "It is a feather from some kind of bird monster. I don't remember the name."

Adelheid, who had been silently assisting Joha by placing spices on the table, spoke up. "Quillstriker," she said, her voice quiet but clear. "They're a monster that shoots its feathers like arrows at its prey."

Everyone turned to her, and she froze as she realized she just corrected Tanisha. She notably recoiled and averted eye contact as she quickly finished placing the last of the spices down.

"Ah, quillstriker sounds like an interesting creature. I wonder what the infusion will do to the metal," Joha said, continuing the conversation.

Tanisha's gaze lingered on Adelheid for a long moment, and Bjorn could feel the unspoken words between them through his bond with Tanisha. She wasn't upset or atleast Bjorn didn't think so but he couldn't read her emotions as they were quickly locked away. Then, without a word, she took the bait Joha left and the feather disappeared back into her inventory.

"It should add some type of retaliatory effect from what I can surmise," Tanisha said. "If it is made into armor, if something strikes it while magic or material is supplied, small feathers will shoot back at the attacker. They won't be nearly as deadly as the real thing and the range will vary depending on the magic supplied to the armor."