When teaching the Heart of the Druid again, GodDraw77 still chose to start with the Savage Form.
After several days of instruction, once she was sure her apprentice truly understood the knowledge points and the emotions tied to transformation, she painted the runes with potion-ink across Rita’s back and limbs.
"That’s it. Begin your attunent."
Nineteen days later, the apprentice lay face down in the middle of the boat, motionless.
At the bow, GodDraw77 and Lightchaser sat with identical crossed-arm postures, staring at the prone girl.
Lightchaser asked, "Did she fall asleep?"
GodDraw77 hesitated. "...That shouldn’t be possible."
A few minutes later, Lightchaser got up, stepped over Rita, and grabbed her by the back of her collar, lifting her up.
Her head lolled to the side. Her face was slack with sleep.
Rita: Zzzzz... zzzz...
Minutes later, she stood on the boat’s railing, taking deep breaths, both hands shoved into her pockets, trying not to rub her sore backside after a spanking.
She glared at Lightchaser, her cheeks puffed with indignation. She had only dozed off for five minutes.
Lightchaser looked even angrier. "At such a critical ti, you can sleep? If you don’t want to awaken GodDraw77, just say so."
Rita defended herself. "I stayed awake for nineteen days straight. I only closed my eyes for a few minutes!" Bad luck, that’s all.
She hadn’t even used her ti-stop to rest. You couldn’t during attunent anyway, since GodDraw77 needed to be ready to chant instantly.
GodDraw77 pinched the bridge of her nose. "So? Did you sense anything?"
Rita’s bravado shrank. "...No."
"Is it really that hard to understand?" Lightchaser asked, baffled. "Think back to the days I tossed you into the arena. Or the Star Glacier."
"I did think about them! But I knew you were always watching from the shadows."
"Pretend you didn’t know."
"But I do know! And..." Rita avoided her gaze, staring at the drifting stardust above the river. "Even if I don’t know what really happened...
"Soone who usually always has sothing else to do spent three years just to bring back to Arisentna. And even dragged GodDraw77 along.
"Whatever happened while I was unconscious must’ve been dangerous. Maybe I forgot it all, since my [Temporal Stroll] is grayed out, marked ’Curse: Sealed.’
"But whatever it was, both of you left Arisentna. You chose ."
She shook her head firmly. "So no—I refuse to believe no one will co for . If no one cos, it’s only because you can’t."
She fixed her eyes stubbornly on the river, unwilling to change her answer, unwilling to admit she was wrong.
"The first thing I ever taught you was never rely on anyone, wasn’t it?"
"I think I learned that lesson well. Figuring out my own way, and believing my teacher will co, those aren’t the sa thing. Not a contradiction. Just like I knew you wouldn’t purposely let recognize you when you beca Kapybaras, I also knew you’d risk your soulfire for ."
The elf went silent.
Rita smirked, curling her lips in triumph.
Lightchaser leaned her chin on her hand and stared at the drifting starlight without another word.
GodDraw77 exhaled heavily. "Can you not interfere when I’m teaching?"
Lightchaser was ready to snap back, but then she saw in the river’s reflection the giant silhouette of Moonbear rising behind her. She swallowed her words.
Forget it...
If it ca to a fight, she would never again let herself be stomped by Ash Cinders.
But if she didn’t let Moonbear stomp her once... wouldn’t her apprentice, once her mories returned, realize she had faked losing just to make her laugh? Too humiliating.
Moonbear’s massive paw scooped Rita up and dangled her before her face. "Hurry. Don’t waste the potion. You only have four chances. You’ve already burned one."
Unfortunately, the final two days brought no miracle.
Stubborn as always, child or adult.
She not only believed Lightchaser would co for her, she had even added GodDraw77 to the list.
That ruined everything.
The Savage Form required conviction that no one would co—cold reason and madness.
GodDraw77 was certain her apprentice would never grasp it now.
When it ca ti to pick a second form, Rita wanted to learn Hunter Form. But GodDraw77 made the decision for her: Nature Form.
Her reason: "I have a feeling you’ll manage this one."
And she was right.
By the fifth day, the rune was glowing.
A small unicorn foal bounced across the deck in delight. "Easy! Teacher, you were right. Just thinking about how tolerant I am of Lightchaser makes the rune burn!"
Lightchaser snapped, "...Were you even listening? The core is supposed to be love for the whole world."
"Fine, sure, it sounds gross if I say it out loud." The little unicorn leaned over the side, admiring her reflection in the river. Pure white body, eyes glowing bright blue, the picture of holiness. After she’d admired herself enough, she added, "But I admit, my heart really is full of love. I love my teacher very much."
Lightchaser: .........
The elf’s features twisted in visible pain.
The foal trotted back to GodDraw77, nudging Moonbear’s horns with her glowing unicorn horn. "And I love Teacher GodDraw77 too." Her voice practically overflowed with joy.
Lightchaser pressed a hand to her stomach. "I really do prefer the older one."
Moonbear hoisted the unicorn up and shook her like a rattle. "Oh? I can’t tell."
The unicorn wriggled indignantly. "So what’s this older one you keep talking about?"
Moonbear replied, "My other apprentice. She’s a bit older than you."
The unicorn’s eyes lit with understanding. "Ah, I get it. Lightchaser says that on purpose, to get my attention. To make jealous of soone else’s kid."
The elf shot to her feet. "I’ve wanted to hit you for a long ti!"
The unicorn lunged, scrambling onto Moonbear’s head, wrapping nimble forelegs around her horns. "Teacher, save !"
GodDraw77 stared at the swishing unicorn tail dangling in front of her face, at the hooves pressing against her nose. "...I’ll hold her down for you."
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