(MxM) Tales Of A Shifter (P1) - The Meeting

Chapter 15 - Guardians

Chapter 15 - Guardians

Mantilo watched his youngest son steadily and let him stew in silence for a few seconds.

Ezekiel like the rest of his sons was not a child.

Ezekiel was twenty three years old and the youngest. Nate was right before him in age also in his early twenty's.

Walter was the oldest of his sons at age twenty nine. And Lander came in just below him in age at twenty six years.

But Shifters were different then Mortals in they way that they aged.

Where mortals were known to age once a year, for Shifters, the first few years of life was the same as a mortals. But after puberty.....after the Shift first takes them for the and the beast inside awakens, Shifters began to have a rapid decrease in their ageing. Mantilo had estimated that Shifters aged one year to a mortals every four or five.

So in reality his sons were nearly decades older then they really appeared. And the same could be said for any of the other Leopards in Mantilo's Clan or other Shifters around the world, that were not pubescent yet.

So none of his sons were children, they were grown men, that he had no real authority over, nor did Mantilo treat Ezekiel as such, but they were still his sons and no matter how old any of them got Mantilo would continue to protect them....or guide them, sternly, if need be. Until the day he died.

"But...." Mantilo amended looking Ezekiel in the eyes. He was secretly proud that his son was trying to take his punishment without any flinching, but he kept his face grim and his tone grave as he said "I will concede on behalf of you mother, your brothers, and because no matter what has happened behind my back. A life is in the process of being saved today. So....I'll be lenient."

Thinking that life couldn't be better Ezekiel mistakenly dropped his shoulder and ex-hailed in relief only for his father to continue. "Ezekiel you are to now take over Landers patrolling shift, added onto your own shift for the rest of this week, as well as helping you mother with gathering the materials needed to ensure the intruders wellbeing. That means you will most likely be ruining back and forth between Kim's and Glen, in mortal form. Gathering gauze and herbs for sterilization. Mmmm...Just make sure that you don't Shift while you transport the surgical supplies. We don't want to risk an infection, from fur or dirt touching the supplies that your mother will be using."

Knowing that the distance between the healer Kim and their own mansion was a difference of nearly three miles, Ezekiel tried not to openly grimace.

Ezekiel speared his brothers with glares as they all broke into snickers and laughs at his eexpense. With effort Ezekiel schooled his gaze before he looked back at his father, but the anger was there in his blue eyes even though he bowed his head and complied. "Yes father."

"Also, I will only say this to you once more....." Mantilo quipped. And on one side of himself Mantilo felt a little sorry for his youngest son. Ezekiel was a good and naturally curious man, and reckless to a fault. He knew that Ezekiel was dying of curiosity when it came to their unexpected intruder, but Mantilo didn't want him getting any more involved. It was best that they all remain at arm's length concerning the stranger in their home until Mantilo knew just what he was really there to do.

"Im ordering you to STAY out of that mortal's room." He commanded Ezekiel and the rest of them once more.

At this Ezekiel raised his head and frowned. "What? Well then how am I supposed to help heal him if I can't go near him....?"

"You won't be healing him at all, nor will you approach that room again." Mantilo rumbled with a shrug. "You will bring all of the supplies that you gather to your mother, and then head off to continue your patrols. Which will take you much longer now that you'll be taking over all of Landers duties. Feeding the animals in the West and South. Weeding with the Clans Men in the South to prepare the fields, gathering herbs in the East, scouting the forest in the East and South.....Gosh you'll barely have time to stop, much less check on that mortal." Mantilo smiled over at Nate as he gaffed with laughter, then he turned steely, sharp yellow eyes on his son.