Tales of the Lost Owl: Wallowing in Water

“So basically what you want to do is let the water wash over you. Close your eyes and feel the direction it’s flowing in, then—Rowen are you listening?” The woman asked.

“Sure mom, sure.” Said her son.

The two were out in the woods, standing knee deep in a stream on a foggy day. The mother stared at her son, looking rather unconvinced. Realizing his disposition wasn’t doing him any favors he flashed his mother a smile, at least as best as he could with his face.

The twelve year old was an unusual sort, while his mother was a regular human of short brown hair and brown eyes with lightly tawny skin he was quite different. His ‘hair’ was a fluff brown and white spotted feathers that covered his entire body, on his face was a hooked beak with a pale-yellow hue in place of his mouth and nose, his hands and feet were covered in pale-yellow scales and tipped with razor sharp talons, to top it off his light-grey eyes were big round spheres that shined like a pair of gems. A creature parallel to humans but not quite, and only heard of in legends and ancient history, the woman’s son was of the owl-people race known as Avethians.

“Rowen. That’s not fooling anyone.” Said the boy’s mom. “You wanted to do this you know. We came out here early in the morning with the fog still out so no one would see you and now you aren’t even paying my lessons any mind.”

“Sorry Mom.” Said Rowen. “It’s just… Not what I expected it to be.”

“I thought Aquamancy would work fine with you.”

“Maybe if I was a duck.” Rowen kicked up at the water. “But I don’t really feel water, I don’t really like being wet, and its not an element I see myself dedicating time too for long.” Rowen kicked up water again, this time it suddenly spewed up in a wave and smacked Rowen down. Rowen picked himself up, now soaked in his feathers and clothes. “And that’s another thing, I think the water hates me.”

Rowen’s Mother tried her best not to laugh. “Yes, well, lack of discipline will do that to you. It’s best not to get hasty when channeling elemental magics.”

“Please don’t laugh at me mom.” Rowen trudged out of the water.

“I was not laughing at you; did you hear me laughing? And where are you going?”

“To dry off.” Said Rowen, grabbing a towel from his mom’s backpack. “I don’t think this is working for me.” The boy hid himself behind an outcropping of bushes, he needed to wring his clothes out and preen his feathers.

His mother got out of the water and quietly dried her legs. The face of her son’s disappointment and frustration germinating in her mind. After she’d gotten her shoes on she sat by the bushes where her son was hidden.

“I’m sorry.” She said. “I’m just confused, you seemed so excited last night when I told you we were going to start training. But then when we got here you completely flipped.”

“I told you the water doesn’t like me.” Rowen said from behind the bush. “You saw.”

“Rowen, that was just a magic backfire, it happens.”

“Yes, because it isn’t my element. I don’t belong in the water.”

“Well, okay then, what element do you think would be good for you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Asked Rowen. “I’m part bird.”

“Aeromancy, of course.” Mother looked to the sky, through the fading fog she could see the shadows of birds flying by. “I can’t help you with that you know. If you ever want to learn that you’ll have to find someone else to teach you.”

“I know mom.”

“I wouldn’t even know where to find you a teacher, I guess we can start looking for one in the next town we visit but no promises that there’s an Aeromancer there.”

“Its fine mom. I think I want to hold off on magic study for now. Maybe let’s just focus on other studies instead.”

“Alright dear, if that’s what you want. But, just know if you ever want to try again I’m willing to help you.”

“Thanks Mom.” Rowen sat on the grass, looking up at the sky where the birds flew. He ran a talon down the two scars on his back. Occasionally when he bathed they would sting ever so slightly, more so when they were exposed to the air. Even if Rowen didn’t remember his wings his body did, and it would mourn for them on occasion craving to touch the sky.

“So how much longer are you going to be back there?” Asked Mother. “You should be done drying off by now.”

“Oh, my feathers are still a bit damp.” Said Rowen. “I’m just waiting for them to air out.”

Mother bristled with exasperation. “Oh, come on, get dressed it’ll dry on the way.”

“Just a few more minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll just go back to the camp by myself. Soren’s making pancakes today with breakfast, can’t promise that they’ll still be there when you get back.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”

Rowen hurried into his clothes and chased after his mother. The two of them putting this bad memory behind them for another day. As they walked back to camp Rowen would occasionally stop to look at the birds in the sky and feel the morning breeze passing over him. One day, he’d join it. One day, he’d be a part of that sky.