From that day onward, Grogar took the girl under his wing. They went on various hunting tasks where he showed her how to survive in the treacherous Kamatayan forest. He showed her where to find certain creatures, how to capture them, which plants and fruits of the forest are edible, how to cure poisons, and much, much more. Velvet soaked up all this information like a sponge and diligently took notes on everything the man said.
The gentle giant was pleased to have such an eager apprentice. She was almost too eager. He could barely keep her thirst for knowledge and adventure satiated. As soon as one task was done, she was already at the board, picking out another for them. They hunted everything from wild boars, giant bats and various lizards, not shying away from poisonous snakes and timberwolves—spirits of the forest who took on the form of wolves and were made up from branches, leaves and rocks.
More than once both of them had barely escaped death, but always pulled through somehow, the large man's strength and experience and the girl's fearless determination and strong magic working in tandem. Over time, the unlikely duo became known across the town of Talim and there wasn't a single soul in the Hunter's Guild who didn't hear about the monstrous man and his witch apprentice that completed every task without fail. Grogar wasn't known as Grogar anymore. Everyone simply called him Crowgar now, implying that the two were inseparable.
He generously offered up his small house and Velvet made it her home. Soon their bond began to deepen. At first the hulking man was of few words, but over time he began to talk more and more. About his adventures and the times he almost died. He showed the young witch his scars and told her a story about how he got each one of them. The girl's eyes were sparking with curiosity, urging him to tell her more. More about the forest. More about the creatures. More stories. More everything!
It wasn't just Velvet that was enjoying this arrangement of theirs. The lonely man also had to admit that having such a great listener and companion was something he had been missing all along. As they grew closer with every task and near-death experience, a mutual trust had built up, unlike anything Grogar had ever experienced. He was used to working alone all this time and relying on nobody but himself. But now he had someone. A girl who looked up to him and admired him as if he was part of her family. She eventually started calling him Uncle Grogar and although the strong and prideful man would not admit it, he felt a warmth in his chest every time Velvet called him that.
All the while, Velvet was sending letters to Arianna, who was honing her magic back at the academy, describing in detail everything that happened to her and her new friend:
4th of Ookayn, 52
"Dear Arianna!
I met this great man named Grogar! He's very big and strong and is going to teach me all about hunting. He is also the top hunter of the guild, can you believe that?!
I am very lucky that I ran into him, otherwise I wouldn't know where to start. Tomorrow we are going on our first task together. He said I should pick a simple one, so I chose a task that requires us to catch 20 Kamatayan squirrels. Grogar says their bushy tails are very valuable among nobles. I will tell you how it goes once we get back!
Love,
Velvet
P.S.
How are things are the academy?"
23rd of Ookayn, 52
"Dear Velvet!
While I would usually be worried that you're running around with strangers, in this case I actually feel kind of relieved that you didn't end up going into the Kamatayan forest alone. That feels like something you would do.
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Rumerra - The Journey Begins
काल्पनिकCOMPLETED! Since she was a little girl, Velvet has been reading stories about great wizards and witches of Rumerra's past, wishing every night to wake up one day and be blessed with the affinity for magic herself. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked...
