Dust hangs low over the training grounds. Butch wipes his battleaxe clean while the child bends, hands on knees, catching their breath. Sable stays by the post, calm and watchful.
Sable
They keep their feet now. That matters more than bravado.
The child straightens a little, still breathing hard, eyes flicking from Sable to Butch.
Brin
Am I ready to go with you? Or am I still just... practicing?
Butch the Wereboar
Sable folds her arms, studying the child with the same careful patience she used in the drill. The yard is quiet except for the creak of wood and the soft scrape of cloth on steel.
Sable
Ready enough to learn on the road. Not ready to forget fear, and that is not the same thing.
The child swallows, then nods once, absorbing that more than any praise.
Brin
I can do this. I just need to keep my footing.
✓ Quest Accepted
Travel with the child on the road
✓ Quest Accepted
Keep the child ready for real combat
“I kneel down to get closer to my son and address the child by his name, asking him to show me he has mastered his wereboar shifting powers so he can be in a stronger form while we travel”
SUCCESS (Legendary Intimidation, rolled +1)
Butch lowers himself to one knee in the dust, bringing his broad frame level with the child. The yard goes still around the gesture, all that remains is the soft creak of timber and the last drift of settling grit.
Butch the Wereboar
Show me your wereboar shift. If we travel, I want you stronger in it.
Brin
My name is Brin.
Brin
I can do that. Watch me.
Brin plants their feet, squares their shoulders, and breathes deep. Their stance is still stiff, but this time it is deliberate, like a door set in its frame instead of a door left hanging.
The change comes in a rough, shivering swell. Fur pushes through at the forearms, the jaw broadens, and the child’s silhouette thickens into a smaller, fiercer shape before settling back to human again.
Sable
Good. They do not need perfection. They need control, and the nerve to repeat it.
Brin looks up at Butch with a sharp, proud breath, half embarrassed and half glowing with it. Their hands tighten once, then relax, as if the transformation has finally answered them.
Quest Complete
Keep the child ready for real combat