What a Wizard Wants - Chapter 25 - Encantus (2024)

Chapter Text

We exited the dormitory and returned to the Council’s platform. I clutched the map in my right hand, my grip a bit too tight still. That bug, and the news that a Shadow-Weaver was here as well, had me on edge. Morganthe was here, and she obviously wanted something.

I showed the map to the Councilor when we approached him. “Ah, you found one. That map will do. I still feel you are foolish for wanting to venture into the Savannah; it is a bad time for my people, and things there are very dangerous. But I gave my word. Very well, you have my leave. But you must get the permission of the other councilors as well.”

He raised one paw and pointed at a Zebra nearby. “Speak with Councilor Unathi Nightrunner next. You must get her permission, somehow.”

I thanked the Councilor and we crossed the platform, skirting the roaring bonfire at its center. I enjoyed the warmth, as it was surprisingly chilly this high up. “Councilor Nightrunner? My name is Jacob Sunstalker. These are my companions, Ethan Greenriver and Cam Dunestrider. The tiger is my familiar, Kehar.”

They all nodded in greeting as I introduced them; it seems I had become the unofficial spokesperson of our group. I’d have to ask them about that later, though. The Councilor inclined her head in greeting.

“You are Wizard City wizards, yes?” We nodded as she continued. “How can I help you?”

“We need the council’s permission to travel to the Savannah, to find the missing students. Councilor Kakenya already gave his permission. We were hoping you would give us yours as well.”

The Zebra woman thought for a moment. “Hmm. He gave his permission, eh? The Savannah is dangerous, though. I will not send you to your death. Can you even wield a spear? Never mind.”

She waved her hand, as though dismissing some bad idea. “The Baobab market has become dangerous. Gangs of thugs harass the merchants and visitors, and our guards are spread thin elsewhere. Show me you can survive in the Savannah. Go defeat a few Spearfang Slashers, about three or so, and I will grant you my permission.”

I wasn’t thrilled about the long trek back down the tree, but we all thanked her politely and made the long trek down the tree. We walked in relative silence, but I suspected I was the only one who minded the long walk.

Once we were back in Baobab Crossroads, we made our way back to the market through the tunnel. Unathi had requested Spearfang Slashers, but had neglected to describe them. Fortunately there were still merchants in the market that were all too happy to point out the Slashers: groups of Lions, dressed in handmade clothes and painted with purple, carrying spears that they would use to intimidate merchants. The merchants wished us luck, praising our bravery and promising they would never forget us. I tried to not let that bother me, or its darker implications.

True to their name, the Spearfang Slashers were excellent at slashing with their spears; one group of four spotted us and immediately attacked. We barely had time to raise shields before they were slashing. After only a few cuts, my shield broke. I quickly called up a massive blast of fire, sending my attackers scrambling away with their fur on fire.

I thought that would scare them away, but it seemed to only make them angrier. Fortunately Ethan and Cam were already attacking; Cam froze them in place with some well-placed Ice Bolts, freezing their feet to the ground. Ethan fired Vine Balls at them, binding them tightly. Soon the four Slashers were being hauled away by the market guards.

The captain of the guard started to reprimand us for causing a ruckus, but I cut her off. “Sorry, ma’am. Councilor Unathi Nightrunner asked us to aid you and your men by taking down a few of the Spearfang Slashers. I’m sure she would be more than willing to explain herself, if you’d like to accompany us back to the Baobab Crown.” I kept my tone light and friendly; the captain, a young female Zebra, agreed to accompany us back to the Councilor.

In the Baobab Crown, the captain recounted our battle with the Spearfang Slashers to the Councilor. She was eloquent, and obviously observant. I hadn’t even seen the guards until the battle was over, as short as it was, but she hadn’t missed a single detail.

After the captain gave her report, the Councilor turned to me. “Better than expected, I will say. All right. If you’re so insistent on travelling to the Savannah, you have my permission to do so. Still, you will need the permission of one more. Speak with Councilor Rasik-”

She half-turned to her right, gesturing to a nearby balcony where we had spoken with the Olyphant councilor before. He wasn’t there, and another, smaller Olyphant stood there in his place. “Odd, he was just there. I wonder where he went? Hummph. He’s a lazy lout, but treacherous.”

She shook her head, then faced us again. “Speak with his assistant, Vir Goodheart. That’s him up there. Vir is a weaking and a groveler. He’ll bend if you’re forceful enough. Captain, a word please.” The guard captain stayed behind as we left, speaking quietly with Unathi.

Ethan muttered to me as we walked away, “Sounds like someone else I know.” He gave me an obvious look, his eyes lingering on my face but drifting down, raking over my body.

Ethan grinned, a wide and lewd grin that made my cheeks burn. I knew what he was about to say, and before he could say it I added, “Never mind, I know what you meant now. Please try to rein it in. At least until we’re alone.”

“But, babe.” He whined.

“I know, trust me. Later. I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Cam, obviously confused, piped up. “Did I miss something? I know what he’s asking for, but I think I’m missing something.”

I shook my head. Cam was still so innocent and naïve sometimes. I loved that, though. Usually. “Ethan’s favorite position is to fold me up. Laying down, on a wall, or just free-standing.”

I laughed, planting a kiss on his lips. “Of course. You’re our boyfriend too. You’re always invited.”

We’d been walking slowly, and now we were standing in front on Vir Goodheart, the assistant to Rasik Pridefall. He was watching us, a confused expression on his face. I’m sure he was trying to figure out what exactly the three of us were to one another, but before he could say anything I spoke directly to him.

“Hi. Sorry, don’t mind us. Forgot we weren’t alone. I’m Jake, this is Ethan, Cam, and Kehar.” I pointed out each in turn, then continued on. “We would like your permission to enter the Savannah. The guards won’t let us through without the full council approving it. We’re looking for the missing students, but without your permission….” I sighed for added effect, which seemed to work, leaving my statement unfinished. I knew he’d get my meaning.

Vir’s face lit up with excitement. “You’re looking for the missing students? That is important! And brave! Councilor Pridefall has returned home on pressing business. As acting Councilor, I could grant you permission. But, you see, some of our merchants have been victims of thieves recently. If you were to retrieve some stolen jewelry from Spearfang Slashers, and spices from Inzenzebu Bandits, and bring the goods to me. Then I’ll help you.”

We thanked him and left. Only once we were out of earshot did I dare to say, “Thank Raven, that was close. I blame you, Ethan.”

Kehar added, “Mom was also flirting.” I laughed at Cam’s expression, a mixture of mock-hurt and amusem*nt. Kehar was certainly warming up to me. That also reminded me that I still needed to read the Headmaster’s letter. I’d do that later, when we quit for the day.

A thought occurred to me. “Oh! While I’m thinking about it, when do you want to call it quits for the day? It’s getting kinda late in the afternoon and I’m kinda hungry. And tired.”

Cam shrugged. “I’m good with whenever. But I say we should at least get into the Savannah first. Then we can stop.” Ethan and Kehar agreed, which settled it. We returned to the market once more. The crowds were thinner now as the massive sun began to inch its way towards the horizon.

It took longer this time to find and retrieve the stolen goods. There were still Inzenzebu Bandits and Spearfang Slashers around, but word of our previous battles had spread already and they were wary of us now. At first sight of us they would run, forcing us to chase them.

More than once I had to take to the air, getting ahead of them and cutting them off as they tried to bolt between the tents and stalls of the crowded market. This tactic worked well, as a winged human dropping in front of you with a wand that shoots fire would stop most any sane creature. It meant I got tired and sweaty fast, though, and it left me irritable and grumpy.

Soon we had the stolen goods, and the thieves were given over to the guards. I overheard one of them ask where they would put all these prisoners. I had to laugh at the thought that we were filling up their prison so quickly. That wasn’t exactly a bad thing, at least in my opinion. The unintentional compliment counterbalanced my irritation at the difficulty we'd had chasing down the thieves this time.

We returned to Vir with the stolen goods and he promised to return them to their respective merchants. He then gave us permission to travel to the Savannah, and when I commented that Inyanga would be glad to hear it he shuddered. “Inyanga is helping you? He scares me a bit, so I am glad it is you who are dealing with him. Tell Inyanga you have my permission to enter the Savannah, and I wish you good luck finding your fellow students. Safe travels!”

We descended from Baobab Crown for what I hoped was the last time. I was getting used to walking everywhere, but this going up and down was starting to hurt my feet. Back at Baobab Crossroads we sought Inyanga once more.

He was waiting for us outside his hut, leaning on his staff. “Jambo, Wizards. I can see on your faces that you have succeeded with all three Councilors.”

I nodded, not even bothering to ask how he could possibly know that. “They’ve all agreed to let us enter the Savannah. Can you tell us anything else about the students? Where they were going, who they were with? Anything that will help us find them quicker.”

Inyanga smiled softly. “Of course. It is time for you to journey into the Savannah. Be wary of the nomadic tribes, but treat them honorably. They are a proud people, reduced of late by dire circ*mstances.”

He gestured towards the Savannah Gate. “Once through the gate, travel first to the Zebra encampment, Camp Mgobo. You’ll want to find Msizi Redband, a local guide. Professor Umlilo Sunchaser hired her to lead the students into the bush. Find her and you’ll find their trail. Go now and speak with the gate guard. He will let you pass.”

I bowed slightly to him, grateful for the information. “Thank you, Inyanga. We appreciate your assistance. I’m sure we’ll be back for more assistance later.” Inyanga smirked but said nothing as we turned to leave.

At the gate, Lethu initially didn’t believe that we’d gotten the Council’s permission. He sent a runner to the Baobab Crown to confirm the news, and upon the return of the runner, allowed us to enter.

He gave us strict instructions. “Go straight to Camp Mgobo. Do not leave the road. It is quite a hard journey, so no telling how long it will take you. My people dwell there, so of course it is a haven of safety in that wild terrain.”

Before we left, I asked him about the guide that Inyanga had mentioned. To my surprise, Lethu insisted he’d never heard of her. He suggested that we speak with Tik-Tik Snaketongue, a Lion who he claimed acted much like a Zebra.

That made me raise an eyebrow, but I said nothing. Lethu added that Tik-Tik knew everything and everyone, so if anyone could find the missing students it was him. We thanked him politely and passed through the gate.

I didn’t want to trust Lethu’s intel, but if we couldn’t find Msizi at Camp Mgobo we might well have to rely on this ‘Tik-Tik Snaketongue’ after all. The comment about how he acted more like a Zebra had me wondering, but I decided to wait until we met him before I voiced my concern.

Past the gate was a vast field of yellow grass, much like wheat, though it was clearly just grass. The terrain was broken by many hills, as though it were a pot of water set to boil. The hills stretched beyond the visible horizon, and far away a spur of rock, like a low mountain, jutted above the hilly terrain that surrounded it.

Aside from that, the hills and plains stretched for many miles. Herds of animals moved on the plain: impala, wildebeest, waterbuck, and more. It seemed antelopes were common here, though I saw a few boars and various birds as well. Occasionally we saw a Lion hunting, spear raised as they targeted their prey, but they were few and far between.

According to Cam, who had been here before, this Savannah was a large part of Zafaria and home to at least three tribes of Lions. They were semi-nomadic, which meant they lived in tents they sometimes moved around their territory. There was also one tribe of Zebras, though most of them lived in the Zamunda region to the west.

The road wound in a seemingly aimless manner through the hills, and by the time the sun was ready to set we had only traveled a couple of miles. We checked the map and saw that Camp Mgobo was still over eight miles away, so we decided to call it a day and Cam called up the Mansion.

Inside, I instantly noticed the lack of heat. I’d grown accustomed to it but it was nice to be in cooler air. My clothes were already sweaty, so I started to shed them. That in turn got Ethan and Cam’s attention, and we wound up in the bed clad in nothing but our underwear, just laying there and enjoying the silence and physical contact.

It was nice to just unwind a bit, cuddling with my boyfriends but doing nothing else. It was now Sunday evening on Christmas Day and we hadn’t really had much of a break all day, so this was the best gift I could have gotten.

Soon, though, the sweat and smell got to be too much and I insisted on a shower. That shower took longer than necessary, as Ethan ended up taking advantage of me before he let me get clean. I didn’t mind, but it was amusing to Cam, watching Ethan pick me up and fold me up like a doll with my back pressed against the cold tile as Ethan proceeded to screw me so hard I ended up needing his help standing afterwards.

I felt bad for Cam being left out, but he didn’t mind. Watching us was just fine for him. This time, at least. As we crawled into bed, though, I turned up my internal heat before shedding my pajama pants. Clad only in a pair of briefs I slid into bed, Cam sandwiched between Ethan and I. It wasn’t long before they were both shedding clothes due to the heat, which was the point. I fell asleep smiling.

The next morning I woke up before Cam and Ethan. I showered quickly and dressed, then joined Kehar in the dining room. I conjured up some food for him and sipped on orange juice, reading the Headmaster’s letter to me, my plate of food to one side for the moment.

Jacob,

I was most surprised to receive your letter, and even more surprised to hear that you had found a Familiar. As I’m sure you know, a Familiar is a rare creature indeed, though not as rare as some believe. It’s true that any Pet has the potential to become a Familiar, but only when certain conditions are met. I won’t trouble you with the details, but suffice it to say they are precise enough that only one in approximately 500,000 Pets ever become a True Familiar.

Now that you have found one another, the first lesson is trust. You must trust one another fully for your bond to mature, and to that end I have included a couple of spells that will aid you. These will allow you to utilize the bond to its fullest possibility, and I will be sending you a book with even more useful spells and exercises. I suggest trying them all.

Familiar Gaze: origato ve ocuir erekess sia lyrik sidric

Familiar Mirror: origato ve xkhat hefoc sia lyrik iarla

I hope that these will aid you well. If you have any questions, or wish to know more, please feel free to write to me and I will respond to you as soon as possible. May Raven watch over you always.

Merle Ambrose

The letter was signed with a flourish, the signature carefully traced out to be readable but still fancy. I smiled to myself at the oddity of the spells he’d given me. They were in Draconic, so I could easily read them.

The first one seemed to allow me to see through Kehar’s eyes. I toyed with the idea of using it, but decided to try the other first. Kehar agreed, so I quickly scanned the second spell, making sure I could pronounce it properly. The translation had me curious: it meant, roughly, “Let me become like my other self.”

I recited the spell, calling upon my magic. The air seemed to shimmer between Kehar and I, and for a brief moment I thought I saw a line of white power linking us. That line grew brighter, and our bond deepened, our minds mingling like never before. Then I passed out, my eyes snapping shut before I could react.

When I woke up, I knew something had gone wrong. I wasn’t in the right chair, and I could see my body across the table, slumped on the table beside my plate of food. At first, I thought might be dead, but I could feel a cushion beneath me. On a plate before me was a pile of raw meat, which suddenly seemed appetizing. Oh, no…

“Kehar? Where are you? Psst. Kehar.” I spoke quietly, not wanting to wake my boyfriends. My body stirred, a moan emitting from my mouth. It was weird watching it move from the outside. Who was in my body? I was in someone’s body, and I could guess what had happened. I tried to suppress my own panic, focusing instead on figuring out what could be done about this situation.

My body sat up, blinked, and looked at me. “Little Cub? What has happened? Why do I see myself?” The voice was mine, but the words were Kehar’s. Through our bond, I was able to confirm that we had indeed switched bodies somehow. A small part of my brain wondered how he knew what he looked like, but that wasn’t important right now so I shoved that thought aside.

I snarled angrily, “That creepy old man! He could have warned me this would happen!” I spoke loudly now, not caring about being quiet. My voice came out as an actual snarl, mangling some of the words. I stopped, taking a slow breath to calm down. I felt a tail, twitching in anger behind me. It was somewhat distracting.

I sniffed the raw meat piled up in front of, as a distraction to help me calm down. It smelled good, so I took a hesitant bite. It was…surprisingly good, considering it was raw. The flavor wasn’t at all like I expected, and I took another, larger bite. “Mmmm, this is good. Kehar, you should eat something. My body needs more than juice.”

Kehar blinked, staring at me. My face was wearing that shocked expression I’d seen on others, and only now did I realize how unbecoming it really was. I snapped, “Close my mouth. Now eat!”

“Cubling, this food seems….unusual. What is it?”

“You cook your sausage? Why?”

I sighed. “You’ve been with Cam for months and you’re just now asking this? Humans cook all our food. Well, most of it. We can’t digest it well if it’s not cooked.”

Kehar timidly leaned down as though he was still in his body. I added, “Use a fork! You’re not an animal.”

He seemed to bristle. “I never was, cubling. Perhaps this experience will teach you that. Still, if you insist. I will attempt to do things your way.” He paused, then added, “Will we tell Mom and Ethan?” He clumsily picked up a fork and stabbed a sausage, trying to eat. It was like watching a toddler learn something for the first time. I ignored his comment, choosing to not point out my ‘animal’ comment was just a figure of speech, not meant literally.

I thought for a moment while Kehar finished off his first sausage. On the one hand, I didn’t want to admit how embarrassing it was that I was in my Familiar’s body to my boyfriends. On the other hand, they were sure to figure it out quickly. Kehar was obviously not adept at anything in my body, and I suspected I wouldn’t be much better.

I answered his question, after some instruction on the proper use of a fork. “Don’t worry about telling them. If they figure it out, oh well. Just try to act like me. Or at least like a human.”

He snorted in derision. He seemed as convinced as me that we’d never pull off pretending to be one another. “That seems unlikely to work, but I will try.”

I jumped down from the chair, padding over to the closed bedroom door. It took me a minute, but I managed to get it open by using my mouth. Kehar followed, his steps clumsy. He wasn’t used to my body but he was adapting. Even when we weren’t speaking aloud, I was instructing him mentally, helping him adjust to my body even as he did the same for me.

When the door was open, I nudged him forward. “Go. Wake them up. We need to get moving.” He muttered something unintelligble but did as I asked.

“Ethan. Wake. Little Cub says it is time to get up.”

Ethan groaned. “Kehar? Wha? You sound weird.” He opened his eyes and saw my face, inches from his, frowning. Ethan sat up fast, startled. “Gah! Jake, don’t scare me like that. What’s with the frown?”

I sighed, but spoke up. “Over here, Ethan.” He turned, saw me in the door, and frowned. “Kehar? What’s going on?” He rubbed his face to wake up, then got out of bed. Thanks to my extra heat last night, he was wearing only a pair of boxer briefs, and I openly stared at him, noting his normal morning, well, yeah. If I hadn’t been in a tiger body, I’d be taking advantage of that right now.

Instead I sighed. “A shame I can’t help you with that, babe. I’ll explain later, I promise. Wake up Cam, get dressed, and we’ll be waiting in the living room for you two. Come on, Kehar. Let’s practice your walking some more.”

Cam joined us a little while later, now showered and dressed. Kehar was getting better at walking, and I now had him practicing balancing, using both wings and arms to stabilize himself. So far he had only had one bad fall, and caught himself on a nearby chair after that first fall.

Cam watched us, an odd expression on his face. He snuck up on Kehar, then wrapped his arms around him from behind, pressing a kiss on his neck.

“Good morning, babe. Recovered from last night? I can give you a reminder, if you forgot.” Cam ground his hips on my body, his hands sliding into my pants.

My body stiffened as Kehar froze, unsure what to do or how to respond. Ethan emerged from the bedroom and took in the scene. His face turned beet red, then screwed up as he began to laugh.

That got Cam’s attention. He spun around, glaring at Ethan “What? I can’t flirt with our boyfriend?”

Between bursts of laughter, Ethan managed to spit out, “Jake… you tell him.” He directed these words not at my body, but at me in the tiger’s body. That seemed to confuse Cam even more.

Cam faced my body again. By now Kehar had unfroze and was backed in a corner, cowering with a frightened expression. “Jake? What happened? Say something.”

Feeling bad for not saying anything before now, I cleared my throat before speaking. “Over here, babe. I’m over here.”

Cam spun fast as thought. His eyes grew wide as he heard Kehar’s voice, using my words. “Jake?” He whispered.

I laughed, which came out as a chuff. “Yes, honey. I’m Jake.” I walked up to him, rubbing my head against his groin, intentionally arousing him. If I couldn’t flirt back properly, I’d make do as best I could. I noticed a scent, one I’d never smelled on him.

Through our bond, Kehar identified it as Cam’s scent. There was an extra layer to it, a warm tingly scent that he noted as arousal. I chuffed again. “We had…an accident. We switched bodies.”

Cam gasped. “How? A spell?”

I nodded. “I was trying a spell the Headmaster suggested, Familiar Mirror. I guess it worked, because we traded bodies. I just didn’t expect that.” I muttered that last part, almost too embarrassed to admit it.

Cam began laughing, his eyes bugging out in humor now. “Oh, hahahaha! Oh, this is priceless! Oh, hahaha, can’t….breathe….hahahaha!”

He laughed on and on, for several minutes. Ethan was chuckling, too, at my misfortune. Cam was doubled over with laughter, so I pushed him over, indignant now. How dare he laugh at such a serious problem?!

Cam didn’t even flinch as he hit the floor. Kehar, more relaxed now that Cam wasn’t trying to flirt (or worse), he swiftly moved to a chair across the room, crossing his legs and glaring at Cam.

Finally the laughter died down and Cam stood up. “Oh, I needed that. Sorry, man. I’ve heard of that spell from my uncle. The good news is it only lasts a day or so. The bad news, it can’t be reversed early. You’re stuck until this time tomorrow, I’m afraid.”

I sighed. “ Well, crud. Today will certainly be…interesting. Will you two be ok? I’m not sure either of us will be much help in a fight.”

Ethan and Cam traded a look. I heard their heartbeats speed up, and their breathing increased slightly as well. I’d noticed it before somewhat, but the change was obvious to me now. Both of them gave off a similar scent, one Kehar identified as stress.

I eyed them both. “I can tell you’re stressed. Just say whatever you aren’t saying.”

That surprised them. Ethan raised an eyebrow. “How could you tell that?”

I smiled ruefully. “I can hear your heartbeat, and your scents changed.” I padded closer to him, standing up on my hind legs and resting my front paws on his shoulders.

I nuzzled him, giving his face a couple licks. “ I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t know this would happen. I promise I won’t do it again without giving you warning.”

I gave Ethan another lick for good measure, and he hugged my neck. “That’s all I needed to hear. Now please, get down before we fall over.”

I carefully returned to the floor and followed my boyfriends into the dining room, watching them eat as Kehar attempted to eat some more food.

Ethan, suppressing laughter, ended up feeding him a few bites before Kehar finally got the hang of chewing and proceeded to spill the orange juice on my clean shirt when he tried to pick up the cup.

It was a long breakfast.

Finally, after more struggling while changing clothes (and reminding Kehar that he had to wear clothes), we set out, continuing our journey to Camp Mgobo. We’d have made it in a day, perhaps, but we got a late start yesterday thanks to all the running around getting permission first.

We’d only gone another couple of miles before another issue presented itself: Kehar began complaining of a pressure in his abdomen. It was growing stronger, and finally I realized my body, having had a large breakfast with juice, had to use the bathroom.

So Cam had to bring out the Mansion again, after closing it down earlier, and he agreed to assist Kehar in the bathroom. I was asked to stay outside, even though it was my body, so I paced on the road, my concentration fixed on what information I was able to get from our bond.

It went surprisingly well, though. I sensed that Kehar was still uncomfortable with my body, and as such preferred his ‘Mom’, i.e. Cam, to be with him. I was fine with that; we’d only met four days ago, after all. I thought for sure they’d return within a few minutes, but when ten minutes had passed, I began to get nervous.

I sent a thought to Kehar, who responded that he wanted to talk to Cam, alone. He then blocked me from his mind. I still sensed his emotions but that was it. I groaned in frustration, which got Ethan’s attention.

“Everything all right in there?” Ethan’s voice was full of concern. He knelt down, wrapping an arm around my neck in comfort. “You’re handling this very well, you know. If it was me, I’d have freaked out.”

I chortled with as much humor as I could muster. It still came out strange. “Oh, I’m freaking out all right. I hate this, stuck in someone else’s body while mine is behind closed doors, doing Raven knows what. It sucks.”

I glanced at Ethan, who had a small smile on his face. “Maybe you needed this, then. You have to learn to trust Kehar somehow, right? And he has to learn to trust you. Maybe that’s why the Headmaster didn’t warn you about what the spell did.”

I groaned. “Ugh, why do you always make so much sense? You’re so damn cute when you spout wisdom like that.”

He smirked. “Oh, I am?”

I butted him with my head. “Yeah, you are.” I butted him a little too hard, though, and he fell over on his back. Taking advantage of his vulnerable position, I proceeded to lay down on him, licking his face.

“Oh! Ugh, Jake, gross. You’re heavy, you know. Gah! Ok, ok. Let me up, I surrender!” We were both laughing now, and it was about then that Cam emerged from the Mansion, Kehar right behind him.

Cam took a moment to process what he was seeing. It was Kehar who spoke, though. “Little Cub, you had better get off of him. You might hurt him.”

I looked at him quizzically. “How?”

He raised my eyebrows in surprise. “You are heavy. Plus my claws are very sharp, and you haven’t learned to retract them yet.”

I hadn’t thought of that, and I let Ethan stand up. He brushed himself off, apologizing to Cam and Kehar. “We were just talking and having fun. He didn’t hurt me, Kehar.”

“Still, he could have. He is not yet accustomed to my body, and all his focus has been on teaching me how to best operate his body.” Kehar addressed the group now. “Let us proceed. Cubling, walk with me and I will teach you now.”

We set out again after Cam deactivated the Mansion. While we walked, Kehar and I spoke mentally. He gave me pointers on things like climbing, jumping, and how to sheathe and unsheathe his claws. It was a lot harder than I expected.

As we traveled, he would occasionally have me practice climbing up a steep hill, and I would have him practice running, or a couple of simple spells. He wasn’t used to doing magic as a Wizard, and with the addition of Astral Magic, he had more to learn. He struggled with the visualizations needed, and didn’t have the practice with spells that I did. I rarely used words with most of my spells now, but Kehar didn’t have that advantage, so he kept forgetting the right words. Fortunately it seemed his body was as resistant to fire as mine, or he’d have scorched my fur more than once.

I also practiced what magic I could and found it was almost too easy. Kehar didn’t need to use incantations, he just focused on what he wanted to achieve and it happened. It was instinctual, almost effortless. I also discovered that he could use Fire magic if he so chose, he just hadn’t seen a need to yet. I practiced fire breathing, just because I could, and let me tell you, there’s nothing like a tiger breathing fire to make people question their sanity, cause both Ethan and Cam did a double take the first time I did it.

By the time we reached Camp Mgobo, it was nearly midday. We were hot, sweaty, and a little worn out. We agreed to take a short break for lunch, having skipped it yesterday much to our regret, and resume our Quest afterwards.

At lunch, Cam conjured up the usual food for Kehar, but threw in a few different types of meat. I usually fed him beef, but Cam threw in some chicken and turkey. It was a surprisingly large amount, too. Even though I knew Kehar ate a lot at every meal, I was somehow shocked at how much I needed to eat.

I ate it all, faster than Kehar usually did. He, however, was still struggling to find enjoyment in the types of food I usually ate. I ate meat at most every meal, but I also ate fruit, vegetables, and all sorts of pastries, not to mention desserts and the variety of fruit juices and tea that I drank, in addition to water. By contrast I only drank water, though I drank an entire bowl’s worth, more than once.

I tried to tell Kehar that humans could survive on a wide range of foods, and encouraged him to try new things. As an obligate carnivore it went against his instincts to eat anything other than meat or the occasional plate of mixed fruits: strawberries, cantelope, and watermelon were his favorite fruits so far.

Kehar’s meals were mainly meat, though at least once a day he would have some fruit mixed in. Cam told me all this while I was eating, so I would know how to better feed Kehar in the future. He was my problem now, though of course he would help.

After lunch we took a short break, sitting in the living room. Cam and Ethan were on the couch, with Kehar on a chair while I lay sprawled in front of the fireplace. It felt nice, and I started to get sleepy. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I heard my boyfriends chatting with Kehar. He was always hanging back, or lurking behind, never really talking much.

Part of it was that he was a tiger. Yes, he’s a person as much as I am, or anyone else. But he’s in a literal animal body, and he’s still fairly young. He acts older than he is sometimes, about 8 months old, but he’s also not talkative. This experience seems to have emboldened him to talk more, and I was finding myself talking less.

Well, out loud at least. I was beginning to rely on my bond with Kehar more. Even as Ethan and Cam plied him with questions and shared various stories and talked about hobbies and what not, just trying to get to know him, he and I were communicating. We spoke without words, communicating with thoughts and feelings instead.

The four of us entered Camp Mgobo. It wasn’t fancy by any means, but it was fairly sizeable. A few dozen huts were sheltered inside a tall fence. The fence was made largely of thick, interwoven branches but was reinforced by a stone base.

The camp was nestled between two hills on high ground, and the main gate was thick and wooden, like the Savannah gate. It was set in a narrow gap between hills and faced the direction we’d come. Upon reaching the gate, we were allowed in only once we’d confirmed that the council had given its permission.

Inside the camp were many Zebras. Indeed, there were at least a few hundred of them. Some worked small plots of land that grew Evil Magma Peas and Bread Fruit Bushes, the favored crops in this region. They were hardy plants, I knew, and while they weren’t rich in nutrients, they were easy to grow in harsh or arid conditions.

We asked a passing Zebra about Tik-Tik Snaketongue, and she pointed to one hut that stood apart from the others. It was near the fence, but aside from that it looked much like any other hut. It was round, had a conical straw roof, and windows shuttered with solid wood. The door was a piece of cloth, like every other hut we’d seen so far. Simple to build, easy to replace.

As we approached the hut, I felt a knot of worry begin to build for some reason. My gut was saying something was wrong, but I couldn’t say why. I ignored that and followed the others, keeping to the back like Kehar usually did. Maybe I’d be ignored if I just didn’t speak.

Outside the hut stood a Zebra. Like Inyanga he seemed old, his black fur beginning to turn grey with age. He leaned on a spear that was oddly shaped; it had a crook in the shaft near the top, which was odd. That wasn’t practical, unless it was a staff that had been transmuted into something else. However he wasn’t a Lion, and Tik-Tik was supposed to be a Lion.

I mentioned that to Kehar through our bond, and in response he showed me what he saw: a Lion, tall and proud and in the prime of their life, wielding a perfectly straight spear. Immediately I knew what was wrong, and I warned Kehar to say nothing. This was a Zebra using an underhanded trick to deceive these people; he must not know we were onto him.

While Ethan addressed the false Lion, Kehar tried to argue with me that he might not be deceitful in a bad way, but I reminded him that with tensions between Zafaria’s nations running high, and the fact that Morganthe had returned, the odds were he was up to no good. Plus my instincts warned me to not trust anything he said.

While all this was going on, Tik-Tik was speaking to us. “It is an honor to meet a true Wizard. Your kind’s reputation precedes you. But if I may be so bold, you seem lost and out of place. I am a member of the Striped Mane tribe, and I know this place well.”

I snorted quietly. Tik-Tik didn’t notice, but Cam did. He glanced at me but I ignored him. I’d explain when we were alone. Tik-Tik continued to speak after a brief pause. “You are looking for the guide Msizi Redband, yes? It was obvious. You are trying to catch the Wizard City class. Msizi is young and a bit naïve. She means well but can get in over her head. I hope she didn’t lead those students into danger.”

He raised one hoof-hand and pointed to another hut not far away. “That is Msizi’s hut, right there. No, the one to the right. Yes, that one. Go inside and see if you can find any clue to her whereabouts, then tell me what you find.”

Ethan thanked him for his help and the four of us made our way to the hut he had indicated. Only once we were inside did I speak. “Guys, that wasn’t a Lion, that was a Zebra.” I stated it as fact, not a question.

My boyfriends both gave me confused looks. “Are you sure, Jake? He looked like a Lion to me.” Ethan was confused, but I hoped he believed me.

I nodded. “I’m certain. I think he’s using some sort of illusion, because Kehar saw a Lion but not me. I didn’t know that Familiars had Truesight.”

That last statement seemed to jog a memory for Cam and he facepalmed. “Of course! I forgot that. Familiars have Truesight, so they can see through illusions. If he’s not a Lion, why hide that?”

“That’s what I was wondering too. The best I can guess is he’s up to no good. For now, just don’t let on that we know.”

We all agreed that was for the best and only then did we actually look at the hut we were in. It looked like a tornado had hit it. Belongings were scattered everywhere and there were deep gashes in the floor and walls. The bed was broken as well. In sum, it was as though someone had been looking for something and hadn’t been careful about it.

“Wonder what they were looking for in here.” I commented.

Ethan shrugged. “No telling, but I don’t think we’ll find something in here that will help us find the guide. Maybe.”

We searched the house but it had been trashed. There wasn’t much in there to begin with, so we returned to Tik-Tik with the news. He nodded gravely as Ethan relayed what we’d found. “Oh my, that sounds dire. I hope nothing terrible happened to her.”

Cam interjected, “Is there anything you can think of that might help? Anything that might be helpful.”

Tik-Tik thought for a moment. “Hmm, let me think. Ah! Yes, now I remember. Msizi did say something about taking the class to see the Thornpaw Tribe, further out into the Savannah. Exciting to see such powerful creatures…like myself, in our natural habitat.”

Tik-Tik’s expression turned rueful as he added, “I must confess, of all the tribes the Thornpaw are particularly unpredictable and ofttimes violent, but I’m sure you’ll be safe. After all, you’re wizards, right?” He gestured expansively at Ethan, Cam, and Kehar. Of course, he ignored me. I tried to not let that irk me. Curse my foolishness!

Tik-Tik suggested that we would need to present ourselves to the Thornpaws, and that we would need to win them over with a show of strength by defeating a few of them. I didn’t like that idea, but Cam and Ethan thanked Tik-Tik and we set off, following the directions that Tik-Tik gave us.

Once we were beyond the walls of Camp Mgobo, Ethan pulled out his compass. The first thing he did was see if Tik-Tik had told the truth. According to him, the Thornpaw village 5 miles due south of Camp Mgobo. According to Ethan’s compass, however, they were southwest of us, not due south.

That confirmed it for my boyfriends: Tik-Tik wasn’t being honest with us. However, we knew almost nothing about this world, so unfortunately until we found someone more honest, we’d have to rely on him.

The land sloped down a short hill outside the Camp, with a road leading due south, another southwest, and a branch off of that leading due west. Further away, there were other dirt paths that crisscrossed the Savannah, leading who knows where. The land was mostly flat, going on for further than we could see, but I knew somewhere out there was an edge. The Savannah, according to the maps in our journals, was on the southern edge of Zafaria.

We took the road that would lead us to the Thornpaws, hopefully at least. As we walked, we saw more herds of animals. Several times we passed Lion hunters, chasing prey in the distance. One watched us as we passed, but she made no move to chase us.

As we walked, the land went from flat and rolling hills to steep hills interspersed with rocks. We were drawing closer to a spur of granite in the distance, a small mountain that Cam informed us was known as Nemean Rock. It was a sacred site for the Lions, he said.

We found the Thornpaw village about 3 miles down the road, in a narrow pass between two high hills. A strategic site choice, I noted. The huts were spaced on either side of the road, close to the walls of the pass. There were only about 20 huts or so, and milling around were dozens of Lions.

We stopped about half a mile away, concealing ourselves behind a large rock while we strategized. Eventually we decided to take Tik-Tik’s advice and attack a small group of warriors that we could see training on the far side of the village. Of course that meant sneaking through the entire village somehow.

Or…we could teleport.

We ended up teleporting , taking the warriors by surprise. They recovered fast, but it wasn’t much of a fight. We had the advantage, and soon we had them on the run. Well, I say ‘we’, but really it was Ethan and Cam. Kehar and I were no good in the wrong bodies, so we hung back and tried our best to look menacing.

I think it worked, because one of them eventually spoke to us, her tone harsh as she pressed one paw to a small wound on her abdomen. “Enough, Wizards! You are fierce…but why are you attacking us? Go take your concerns to Chief Olemeeli.”

I nudged Kehar, mentally suggesting that he offer to heal her. She accepted his offer warily, but her eyes were grateful as he gently pressed his hand to her wound. A moment later her wounds were healed, the fur regrowing before our eyes. She thanked him and he moved on to the next one, with Ethan assisting.

A few minutes later, we had an escort of two warriors to lead us to the Chief. Healing their wounds had helped, but we were still outsiders and we had attacked them. They obviously were worried we’d attack more of the Thornpaws.

As we entered the small village, we attracted stares and whispers, but no one attacked us. In fact, many of the faces that we saw, largely parents with small children, were fearful of us. That hurt me more than anything. Was this how we wanted Wizards to be remembered in this tribe? As monsters to be feared?

I noticed that many of the women carried spears, even as many men carried weapons. Lions seemed to favor long spears, and both men and women trained as warriors. Inside one particularly large hut I saw a group of older children, teenagers mostly, being trained by a wizened elderly male, his mane fully gray. As we passed, one of them stared at us, his jaw hanging open and his eyes wide with wonder.

Soon we were standing before the chief. He was waiting for us outside a hut that looked much like the others, but was perhaps a bit newer. I noted that the Lion’s huts were more like tents, made of some sort of hide that I didn’t recognize.

Chief Olemeeli frowned at us while the two warriors gave a report. “So. You attack my warriors, but heal them? Clearly you are Wizards. No one else would be so bold, or so foolish.”

Cam, ever the diplomat, spoke up, his expression remorseful. “Our apologies, Chief Olemeeli. We were given false information. We’re looking for a group of students that passed through here? At least, we were told that they came here. A local guide, a Zebra named Msizi Redband, was leading them. As well as a Flameingo, Professor Umlilo Sunchaser. Have you seen them?”

Olemeeli shook his head. “My people sustain ourselves by the hunt, but this is a hard year and a cruel season. And now our well has broken!” The abrupt change in conversation confused me and I struggled to focus as Chief Olemeeli continued.

He gestured at a nearby well, made of stones. It was falling apart. I had a feeling I knew where this conversation was going, but Olemeeli continued. “We have not seen the pride of students you are looking for, but my warriors did find one who dresses like you. We have not yet decided to do with him, so we put him in our cage.”

He pointed to a large wooden cage made of thick branches. Inside I saw a teenage human, about the same age as us. Olemeeli finished speaking. “I will make you a bargain. If you can use your magic to fix our well, I will let you have this human. Do we have a deal?”

Cam and Ethan both looked at one another, and then at me. I silently nodded. Chief Olemeeli seemed surprised, his tail twitching in curiosity as he realized I was there for the first time. I’m sure he saw a tiger, but he said nothing while Cam agreed and we made our way to the well.

It wasn’t as hard as we’d have expected. The well was starting to fall apart, but it only needed a handful of large stones. Then it was a simple matter of finding sticks to rebuild the winch. The bucket was fine, but the winch needed a crossbeam, and the rope was fraying.

Of course, I didn’t know this. Nor did I particularly care, really, but Cam did. I did care about Cam, so I tried to pay attention as he explained while doing all the repairs himself. Ethan offered to help but Cam refused, saying it would go faster if he did it by himself.

I sighed, settling down to wait. I was tempted to knock him to the ground and sit on him until he agreed to let one of us help, but Kehar seemed to think that was a bad idea. Funny coming from him, as he would have done it in a heartbeat. When I pointed that out in our silent conversation, he responded that he could do that and not hurt Mom.

I rolled my eyes but dropped the subject, instead contenting myself with staring at Cam while he worked. I tried to resist the impulse to pounce, but it was surprisingly strong. Finally the well was done. Cam looked for us and found Kehar and I sitting nearby, Kehar leaning against me. Ethan was leaning on my other side, his eyes closed as he basked in the sun. I gave him what I hoped was a pleading look; I didn’t appreciate being used as a furry pillow.

Cam flashed me a quick smile, stifling a laugh, and with a wave of his wand he made a quick Photomance of the three of us. He caught it and put it away before coming over to help Kehar stand up. “Thanks, babe.”

He waved me off. “Don’t mention it.” I subtly bumped him, genuinely grateful for both of my boyfriends. Not many people could have taken a day like today so calmly, but these two acted like it was totally normal to body swap with someone else for a day.

Back at the chief’s hut, he thanked us for fixing the well. “This will give us the strength to hunt further afield in search of the herds. You may go and fetch your classmate now.” I bit back a comment about how we’d passed at least two large herds on our way here. We knew nothing about life here, and for all we knew each tribe was only allowed certain zones for hunting. Which, given the fact that they were Lions, seemed likely. Cats were territorial, and sentient cats were still cats.

It took us less than a minute to open the wooden cage holding the student. He thanked us, introducing himself as Edwin Trollhunter. “Ah, the sweet taste of freedom.”

I spoke up for the first time in a while. “Edwin, do you know where the other students are?”

Edwin jumped when he saw a tiger talking. “Gah! By Bartleby, a talking tiger!”

I sighed heavily. “You’re a wizard, but you’re surprised a tiger can talk? It’s a long story, ok? I’m a wizard too, but in the wrong body. Don’t ask. Where is the rest of the class?”

Edwin blinked, stared for a moment, then seemed to snap out of it. He shrugged. “I don’t know what happened to the rest of the group. The guide, Msizi Redband, brought us here from Baobab with Professor Sunchaser. I saw a neat little cave I wanted to investigate, but when I came back out everyone was gone. I tried to head back but I got lost, and then I stumbled into these Thornpaws defending their tents. I guess I surprised them. If you could point me in the right direction, I could probably find my way back to Baobab, and then Wizard City. I’m out of here!”

Cam pointed in the direction of Camp Mgobo, warning him that if he didn’t hurry he’d end up spending the night in the open Savannah. At that, Edwin conjured up a Cyclops to carry him back and hopefully speed up his return. Soon the Cyclops was out of sight, running at full speed with Edwin perched on his shoulders.

“Well, you don’t see that every day.” I commented in the silence that followed. There was a brief moment where none of knew how to respond, so we just turned and strode back through the tents and spoke with Chief Olemeeli again.

“Thank you for letting him go, Chief Olemeeli.” Cam thanked the Chief, who acknowledged him with a nod of his head.

“You see? We are honorable people. I do not know who told you we had anything to do with your missing pride of students…other than that one, of course.” The Chief frowned, in thought I guessed. His tone and body language didn’t suggest hostility, and though he gripped his spear tightly, that arm was extended away from his body. He trusted us, at least enough to relax a little.

Cam apologized. “It was a local, named Tik-Tik Snaketongue.”

“Tik-Tik Snaketongue? I do not know him. Still, I am glad we met you, young Wizards. You are a welcome friend to the Thornpaw tribe.”

Ethan, his voice somewhat timid, added, “Even though we attacked your warriors?”

The chief unexpectedly threw back his head, laughing so hard that for a moment I was terrified. What was so funny about that? Finally the chief responded. “Oh! Do not worry, my young friend. Tik-tik had one thing right; your strength did convince my people to trust you. It is our way here, to respect those who are stronger than us. But it would have been different had you killed any of my hunters.”

His tone shifted from friendly to cold as he said that, and I got the feeling that had we killed even one hunter, we’d have been hard-pressed to escape alive. Then the chief’s calm demeanor returned. “Go back to Tik-Tik and tell him that he steered you wrong. Be safe, young ones.”

We left the Thornpaw’s small village a little more uneasily than we’d entered it. I now knew that the Lions were more deadly than I had expected, and if I’d been in my own body I’d have needed a change of pants after that threat. As it was, I couldn’t resist the urge to spray a nearby rock as we passed the last tent.

It was childish, I knew that. But I couldn’t resist, and I needed to relieve myself anyways. Ethan chided me but I ignored him. Right now, I was a tiger. No one else had to know I could talk and was actually a wizard in a tiger’s body.

Of course that made Kehar bristle mentally. ::I am more than that, little cub!::

I retorted back, defending myself. ::Yes, I know that. But what else am I supposed to call you? Your body is that of a tiger, and while I’m aware you’re a person and I don’t see you as anything but that, I can’t ignore that your form is not ‘normal’::

Kehar grumbled some more mentally but couldn’t argue with that. Then, just when I thought he wouldn’t say anything else, he spoke again. ::I am sorry for being so harsh. You are not the only one still adapting to this situation. In truth…in many ways I still feel like an animal.::

Beneath his words I sensed his raw emotions. I realized that in the last 4 months he’d been forced to grow up fast. Even now he was still changing fast, and his mental maturity was outpacing his physical growth. No wonder he was touchy about being called an animal; not that long ago, he hadn’t been aware enough to care, and now he was.

I reassured him that no matter what, he was still a person regardless. And while I couldn’t promise that his life would be easy from now on, I reminded him that I wouldn’t let him lose himself, or Cam, or me. He had all of us to support him, just as we had him.

By now we were well beyond the Thornpaw’s makeshift village. I asked Kehar to check my watch and tell me what time it was; last time any of us had looked was upon arriving at Camp Mgobo.

He reminded me that he had no idea how to tell time. I chuffed with laughter. “Just hold the watch where I can see it.” Without meaning to I’d spoken aloud, and Cam gave me a weird look.

“Uh, Jake? Are you two talking mentally again?”

“…yes?” I responded, hesitantly. I’d nearly forgotten them, I’d been so wrapped up in conversation. “Kehar and I have been talking about, um, stuff. A lot of stuff. This body switch thing still sucks, but it’s improved our communication at least.”

They both smirked. Cam quipped, “Glad you’ve learned something positive from the experience. And it’s only 2:20 in the afternoon, babe. We’re not calling it a day yet, so suck it up.”

“But…but…it’s HOT!” I complained.

“Aren’t you basically immune to heat?” That was Ethan, tossing his lot in with Cam as potential targets for growls or pointed glares.

“Not in this body, I’m not! And this fur is pretty thick.” It was, too. It wasn’t overly hot, but the fur was something I wasn’t used to yet. I also knew that Kehar, who wasn’t used to walking so much, was starting to hurt. My body might be used to walking, but even it had limits, and because he wasn’t used to walking with two legs he grew tired faster.

Cam and Ethan couldn’t argue with that logic, though, and I didn’t even have to add in how Kehar had been ready to sit down before we’d even left the Thornpaws. Cam opened the Mansion and we entered gratefully. I flopped down on the floor, far from the fire. I didn’t want more heat right now.

Meanwhile, my boyfriends and Kehar took up spaces on the couch. I was jealous of Kehar, who was wedged between Ethan and Cam. Of course, he was uncomfortable being so close, and Ethan and Cam were clearly awkward as well.

“It is odd. For someone who’s supposed to know a lot, he was totally wrong about the Thornpaws. Well, partially wrong.” Ethan mused.

Cam added, “And he’s not really a Lion. He’s a Zebra, and even without Kehar’s Truesight, he did say he’s from the Striped Mane tribe. He could be from Zamunda.”

I stood and moved closer, a confused expression on my face that matched Ethan and Kehar’s faces. Cam clarified, “Zamunda, the Zebra nation, is the ancestral home of the Zebras. It’s a jungle, though not as thick as the Drum Jungle. Or as dangerous.”

“Ah.” That cleared up at least some of my confusion, though I had even more questions now. We spent a while just sitting there, wrapped up in our own thoughts for a while. Finally I spoke again. “We should get going. I’m cooled off enough now. Kehar, you good? Are you hungry yet?” I figured he would be getting hungry. I was still growing, after all. I just wasn’t getting taller. Yet.

He nodded. “Much better. Though this body will need food, it’s not imminent yet. And the more we get done today the better.” We all agreed and resumed our walk back to Camp Mgobo.