Forever the Guardian-Part 10 (End of Prelude)

    Arising, she gently placed her hands on my head, and I closed my eyes shut. A clear picture appeared in the form of a complex glowing symbol. A faceless character plucked it up, exhaled a long deep breath, and it's form changed to that of a boar, golden eyes glimmering. The picture disappeared, and the hands on my head were lifted. "It may seem unreal, but you can use that rune if you know how. Hold it in your mind and make it real. Only then can you change your shape."

    I closed my eyes once more to try and she chuckled. "As not to confuse your brethren, a suggest you transform away from the camp?" I laughed sheepishly and nodded. "If you know not where to start, look for an Earth Woman, one lives a day's trips from here. Follow your nose to her camp, I am sure you will find it easily. They know of the land, these earth people, and the magics that reside here. She will welcome you with open arms young one, no matter how you appear."

    "Thank you for everything." I pressed my head against her stomach and she hugged me tightly. "Farewell. I wish you great luck in your travels.”

    I looked up at her and smiled.

    "You mustn't keep Peak waiting, deer. Run along. " I thanked her once more, picked the pack up in my jaws, and with a newfound strength I bounded out of her tent and to the clearing.
This time Peak was already waiting for me. I dropped the package gingerly to the ground, the strange taste of animal hide making me sick.

    "Hey" I cooed, as he wiped a tear from his cheek, "It'll be okay. I won't be gone forever, I promise I'll come back." He smiled weakly at me and gave me a tight squeeze "You promise?"

    "Sticks and stones?"

    I nodded and he let me go, we crossed our legs back and forth chanting;

    "Sticks and stones, forever. Ever. Longer." We butted heads softly to seal the promise, and Peak blinked away his last tear with a smile.

    "One last race?"

    "Only if you carry my pack."

    I grinned and took off towards the edge of camp, saying brisk goodbyes to the trolls about as they waved kindly back. The trail got harder beneath my hooves, soft soil turning to hard packed earth, then solid stone. I pushed forward harder, almost to a clearing where I skidded to a halt, pivoting to face Peak, still heading down the slope.

    "That wasn't fair!" He heard him call from far behind me.

    "I finally won a race though!" I laughed. He tossed my pack down at me and I snatched it out of the air as he skidded to a halt himself. Both out of breath, we stood there, the only sound heard was our own breath, course against the smooth silence around. I dropped the pack once more and rammed my side gently into his back. He tumbled over, hopped up and pushed me back.

    "I'm going to miss you, you clumsy oaf." He whispered hugging me tightly.

    "I'll miss you too little brother, you will always be my first and closest friend. That'll never change," I could feel him smile with his face buried in my fur, and he burrowed it deeper, my fur beginning quite damp from his tears."Thank you for everything." Peak was silent until he uncovered his face from my fur.

    "Take care of yourself. When you are going out there... Alone...with all sorts of weird people, remember this one thing. Humans do not like, what they cannot understand."

    I stored the advice where I knew it would count, smiled my Last goodbye, picked up the package, and set off.