Just outside of the dormitory in front of the property gate, Karra was coming out of the dorm building, her hair still a mess. On her back, she wore a bag Rammorias was using for cover. The Bakeneko was peaking out of it, not wanting to be detected by others. Karra, carrying him about, seemed to be looking for something as her eyes scanned her surroundings. When given an indication, Karra moved towards the direction her eyes led, and right now Karra was trailing away from the property—steadily headed towards the village.
It was a quiet walk down the sloped path leading to the village, and the sun was beginning to set. When a villager walked by, Karra carried on, while Rammorias ducked into the back sack. The villager noticed the young girl who appeared well unkempt, yet made no bother as they continued up the trail. As Karra arrived at the village border, she once again scanned the area until she felt something poking at her back, indicating to head in that direction as Rammorias had been subtly peeking out once again. Navigating the village as indicated, the two arrived down the wide open road which led to The Great Tree. Karra paused, standing ground as her tired eyes stared ahead. The indicating pokes in her back kept telling her to move forward, but Karra knew she wasn't meant to head there—and yet, the Bakeneko's persistence continued.
"We're not supposed to go to The Great Tree," Karra quietly explained, her voice laced with emotional exhaustion.
The sharp pokes became harsher in her back, now bringing her the slightest pain. This moment, Karra followed the command, and seeing no one was currently around began making way down the open path. She was cautious, keeping her eyes peeled for any villagers that might be around any corner. Rammorias couldn't verbally instruct her, as he required eye contact to project his voice into an individual's mind, and the conditions had to be just right if he wanted to maintain such contact. Thus, he poked at Karra's back through the bag in order to direct her. The Bakeneko had Karra following the energies that had lured him to the village, as this curiosity was an impulse he simply couldn't ignore—and yet, he didn't want to lose site of the young girl who indirectly called to him.
"When we go into our training, our people deprive us of the properties we all grow so fond of—" she quietly continued to explain, "It's like a weaning process of sorts I suppose. The tree has this strange energy, yet I doubt it's the one that brought you here. We would've been swarmed by now if that were the case..."
Rammorias heard every word, yet Karra couldn't sway his decision.
They continued along the path, until finally, they arrived at the border of The Great Tree.
Rammorias climbed out of the back sack, and upon rising onto his hind legs, entered the bed of blossoms. He examined the tree while Karra stood back from the bed and kept looking around. She too could feel the pull emanating from the tree, though this was an energy different from that which the Bakeneko sought out. It was a nostalgic feeling for Karra, as she hadn't been to the tree in well over a year, having started her official training at the age of twelve.
Rammorias soon turned back to lock eyes with Karra.
"You are right, this isn't the energy that brought me here, but I feel this energy does have a connection with this place," he telepathically projected, "It makes me wonder, as this isn't the first tree I've come across of this nature."
Karra looked surprised, but at the same time not, as her expression was still tired from breaking down.
"What do you mean... 'this isn't the first?'" she asked.
"This tree is connected to the world; to the realm around us," Rammorias explained. "Tell me, do you believe that having this here, means that your town is special in some way?"
Karra pondered this comment, not really gathering the words this cat was trying to describe. It was laced in riddles, and she couldn't get a grasp on the meanings behind his choice of words.
"Do you... mean that it isn't? I never..." Karra hesitated, trying to find her reply, "I never really questioned it."
Rammorias came out with a curious smile. There were no teeth displayed, and his eyes remained just as piercing as they always had been.
"Our world is connected by a great web. The roots joined together with one another across the great plains of land all around us as far as the eye can see. There is nothing special here that can't be found elsewhere within the world."
Karra merely stood quiet, listening in to every word spoken by the voice which rung through her head.
Rammorias grinned at Karra, seeing some level of connection brewing within Karra. It was all going exactly and accordingly to his desires. The very next moment however, the two of them heard footsteps approaching in the near distance, and Rammorias broke eye contact to look in the direction of the approaching sound. Without another moment, Rammorias darted to Karra's bag sack on all fours, and directed her to flee the scene.
She turned and ran, just as Mora had entered the scene, catching a glimpse of the girl who was running away. Mora stood there, watching the young girl in a gentle surprise.It was unusual, and yet, something about the young girl seemed... familiar.
Out in the woods, at their secret spot, Alena and the others were still training.
Alena had gotten caught up panting, as she had spent all afternoon following along with the instructions of Tika, Maulana, her dear friend Yonka, and now Ania as well. It was exhausting, and she hadn't felt so warn out in such a way before. It was different from the instinct "training" she had done with her teacher before.
"Alright, I believe we've all earned ourselves a nice break," Ania said proudly, barely affected by the training herself.
"I think you went a little hard there sis. Alena isn't as well adapted to this and you or I," Yonka chimed in.
Ania put on a pouty face towards Yonka, feeling subtly offended.
"Heyyy! I was only getting in my share. The girl has a lot to learn if she wants to be ready for the road ahead. Don't you remember what Sir Sem said? He's counting on us to get her trained up while they're away."
Yonka shook her head, crossing her arms with a deep sigh, before lifting one hand while the other remained rested across her chest.
"You're forgetting that she's a small girl, and you have a habit of getting a little excited regarding these matters. Please try to take things a little more slowly next time," she complained, nearly maturnally.
The pouting face Ania remained as her eyes sunk back after hearing what he twin had to say. Even though they were twins and were very much alike, Ania and Yonka were two very different people all the same.
Alena's gaze shifted between the two girls, and both Tika and Maulana observed the scene from the background. Elijah too had moved away, having been getting a little too jostled around during the intensive training.
"Wait, but I'm okay. I can handle it," Alena insisted, though her body language and heavy panting showed otherwise.
"Oh we know you can handle it Alena, but you're still little and you shouldn't have to go through such intensive training in a single sitting," said Yonka.
Tika and Maulana were honestly quite impressed with how much Alena has done in such a short amount of time. They almost felt speechless.
"So then, should we all go get us some snacks?" Tika suggested calmly. "After all, we did work rather hard. Perhaps this is the kind of rest we all need."
Everyone faced Tika and nodded in agreement.
"I like that idea," Maulana answered back.
"Yeah, a sweet treat sounds really nice," Alena chimed in.
"Right then!" Ania began, slapping her paws together and performing a subtle bob of the knees, "Let's all go back and get something to eat!"
Everyone felt so relieved, and Alena let out a tired—but greatful, giggle.
"Okay then. Let's go," said Maulana.
Yonka let off a breathy, closed-mouth chuckle, and the lot of them turned together to head back towards the temple dorms.
Arriving back at the temple dorms, Karra and Rammorias stopped in front of the building to gather her breath. It has been a while since she has ever felt the need to run quite like that.
"I can't... believe... someone nearly saw us..." Karra spoke pantingly. "That was... a bit too much..."
"It would have been nothing, had you been utilizing those burdens you carry so willingly," Rammorias declared judgingly, after having placed a paw on her shoulder to lift himself up and catching Karra's eyes.
"What do... you mean?" she asked, still lost of breath.
"You can carry those burdens. Let them fuel your ambition," said Rammorias, as he opened his mouth as though to speak.
Fueled by adrenaline, Karra's eyes were dilating and contracting rhythmically, as though twitching in an exhausted understanding—although she couldn't quite place what this creature meant.
"Let them guide me? Is that what you're trying to say? What am I to do with that?" she argued.
Rammorias looked a little annoyed.
"If you can't make use of your troubles, then you're hardly worth the sweat off my back," he bluffed to her insistently. "Now don't be such a little brat, and listen to your companion," he added demandingly.
"'Companion?' I only agreed to help for your direction. When did I agree to being your companion?" Her breaths were becoming more controlled, but little gasps for air were still had upon speaking her words.
Rammorias' piercing eyes sharpened, as he gazed into Karra eyes intimidatingly.
"Do you think you can survive out there on your own?" he simply said.
The next moment, Karra and Rammorias could hear the sounds of chatter and Alena and the other girls came out of the brush. Rammorias quickly hid back in Karra's back sack, and she too moved quickly to conceal herself behind a nearby tree, unsure of how to react.
As Alena and the others made their way towards the dorm building, they were sharing laughs together, proud of the hard work they had completed for themselves. One face in particular stood out to Rammorias, and getting the full view of Alena laughing and chatting along with her friends, he now knew exactly what he had been searching for as a devilish grin returned to his face.
It was time to move forward with his schemeful plans...
"How excellent..." he thought 'aloud'—our scene zooming on his face.