Pick Your Path: Book 1

13

" I-I'm not sure..." you start, " I need time to think about it."

" That's fine. Make up your mind quickly though. We need you to start training as soon as possible."

" Remember you don't just have to choose just between me and my sister, you can choose someone else."

" Alright.." you hesitate before adding a final phrase, " Y-your Highness." you see Raven give a small smile, or maybe it was just your imagination...

" I expect your answer by the end of the week." you nod as you follow Raven and Morphia out of the throne room. You're supposed to choose a mentor to train you in the time frame of one week?! How exactly are you going to do that?! It's near impossible! You wander in your thoughts as you trail after the two sisters, out of the castle.

" Do you have an idea of who you want as a mentor yet?" you look to your right to see Morphia had slowed down and is now walking at the same pace as you.

" No... I haven't. I mean, you both would make great teachers, but I can't decide... Also where's Raven?" you look around, Raven had disappeared from sight. She was in front of you, the last time you looked.

" Sh's ahead of us." Morphia points to a darker area of shadow to the left of where you were. You spot a ripple in the shadows, a dark, muted purple cloak. Raven was there, her dark fur and cloak making her almost invisible. " If you can't decide on a mentor, what type of things do you want to do? That's an easier question."

" I-I don't know..." there were lots of options. You could help battle strategies, or be a on the front lines? Maybe work within the heart of enemy territory as a spy?

" I could show you around tomorrow. You'll get a tour and learn some of the positions you could get."

" Sounds great!"

Next morning...

" Let's go!" Morphia drags you out of bed as soon as the sun's up. " We need to start early if we're going to get through the entire kingdom."

" W-wha..?" you just woken up. How does Raven deal with this energy every day? Raven trails behind you, a piece of mango in her mouth, as she quickly puts her hair up in twin pigtails. Morphia probably woke her up too...

" Okay, where should we start?" you abruptly bump into the grey half-breed, she had stopped to look around, " Hmm... Where..?"

" We could start at the forges and smiths.." Raven suggested, taking a bite of her mango. " I need to fix my weapon anyway..."

" We need people to fight, not make weapons. You can deal with it later. You haven't gotten a mission yet. You have time."

" A-actually... I did... I-I have to go prepare now for it... See you later." oh, so that's what she does... You watch as Raven leaves with a flick of her tail. She deals with Morphia by making up some excuse... She's probably going off to meet some of her friends or something.

" Okay... Raven left..." Morphia looks around again, " Let's start at the training area. That's where most of the soldiers stay." she skips off towards a crowded area.

" Morphia! Wait!" You scramble after her, but lose her in the sea of people and half-breeds. " Morphia?! Where are you?" You weave your way through the crowd, no sign of the grey half-breed. You turn around, maybe Morphia didn't go this way? A blur of reddish brown flies past you, knocking you over in the process.

" Ah! Watch where you're going..!" a fox half-breed stood next to you, he offers to help you up. His brown hair faded red at the bottom. " I haven't seen you before.. Are you're new around here?"

" Yeah.. I'm new.." you respond, taking his hand, " Thanks.. I actually had a guide... But, I sort of lost her.."

" You lost your guide?" the fox's tails swayed behind him. Nine tails...

" A nine tail fox..."

" Yes, if you didn't notice before. I am a nine tailed fox." he retorted, " This guide you had, where was she headed?"

" She said she was headed towards the training grounds.."

" I could take you there if you'd like."

" Sure, thanks." you follow the fox through the crowd, taking extra care not to lose him. He seems friendly enough, to help you and all; but something wasn't right... Almost as if he had another motive behind guiding you..

" This is it." the fox stops in front of a large house. You hear grunts and shouts coming from behind the house.

" There you are!" a familiar voice rings out from in the house as Morphia dashes out from it, " You made i-" she skids to an abrupt halt.

" Hey, Morphia." the fox said, a smile forming on his face, " It's been a while."

" Wha- Why did you bring him here?!" she yelps, turning to you, " Out of everyone in this kingdom, you choose him to be your guide?!"

" H-he offered to help.." you back away, sensing the anger raiding off the grey half-breed.

" He/She tells me you left him/her behind back in the busy town square." the fox explains, almost mockingly. " You need to keep an eye on those you're guiding."

" You..." Morphia growls, her tail lashed angrily. " If we weren't here right now, I would-"

" What? Punch me? Hit me? Blow me over? Oh, how scary..." the fox chuckles, " You know you'd never do that."

" Shut it! I don't want to hear it!" Morphia covered her ears before leaping at the fox. The fox merely laughed, dodging her, he's amused? You watch the two run around the training grounds like kids.

" Oh, is this what I get for leaving for a day?" somewhere along the way, Raven had slipped in. Lilac and indigo energy dispersed around her in swirls. " They'll get over it..."

" H-hey, no! Watch the ears!" Morphia had pounced on the back of the fox, tugging his ears.

" Not until I wipe that smug grin off your face!"

"G-guys, please..." Raven quietly intervenes in the fight. She gently separates Morphia and the fox.

" Fine, she started it anyway. I'm only defending myself." the fox backs off easily, he walks past you. " Meet me at noon tomorrow here if you want to have a good mentor." What? He's offering to be your mentor? Do you take his offer?

Take the offer? Go to page 24

Don't take the offer? Go to page 25