41A/N: Again, sorry about the story suddenly getting deleted. I guess I accidentally deleted the story when I tried to delete the second chapter. Hope you all enjoy the second chapter and the interactions between Abel, the villagers, and the Crowe family. Thanks for reading and I hope you like this one too.
P.S. Sorry if the conversations with the village kids aren't that good. When I was a kid, it was hard for me to talk with people and still is to this day, but not as bad.
Fartsparckle: Stop asking me about that stuff, man. I know how long it's been and I'm working on it as fast as I can but life and other responsibilities come first.
Celestial stratos: I'm not completely sure on if Arthur will teach him magic.
Not beta'd.
I own nothing you recognize
Chapter 2
It had been a few days, three to be exact, since it was decided that Abel would be staying with the Crowe family. Since then, Celica and Arthur had treated him like Velvet, Laphicet was special because he was too sick, and had him do some course around the house. Abel didn't mind helping the people who took him in out one bit. He did every task Celica or Arthur gave him without complaint.
Whenever he wasn't doing course, he was usually outside, hunting. It appeared that, since he lived on the Warg Forest, he needed to gather his own food and he was quite skilled in foraging for an eight-year-old. When she asked how he got so good, he gave her a sad smile and replied. "My mother and I used to do this together." Needless to say, Abel didn't talk for the rest of the day. Memories of him and his mother hunting together pushing to the surface.
Even Velvet tried to get close to him but he just politely nodded and talked when he wanted to. It would be hard to get through to him but the family would push through and help the boy who fell in their lap. It was also because Abel hadn't had much interaction with kids his own age since he lived so far away from the nearest village on the island that he was a little socially awkward.
Since he was the only other boy in the three-bedroom house, he had to bunk with Laphicet, not that the little boy minded. To the blonde-haired Crowe, it was cool to have someone else to talk to than his big sister's and talking with Arthur was too much for his growing brain. Abel didn't either. He always wanted a little brother and he was slowly beginning to see him as such.
Right now, the whitette was drying the laundry near the fire, seeing as it's snowing outside. Abel was even given new clothing by Celica. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt with brown pants and snow boots. "There we go. They should be dry in an hour or so, Celica." Abel told the woman.
"Thank you, Abel. You've been such a help about the house." Celica said with a happy smile as she looked over her shoulder. The mature beauty was making some stew for Laphicet, seeing as it's one of the things that he loved. To Celica, it was concerning of how he was always sick, ever since he was born. Luckily, Arthur managed to get some medicine that helped the boy live well enough to go outside.
"It's no problem, Celica. I am happy to help you in any way I can." Abel said. "Do you need anything else?" He asked.
"Maybe you can go out with Velvet and Laphicet. They're outside playing with the other kids in the village." The oldest proposed and saw the way he shifted on his feet. She sighed a little. "Come on, Abel. You should interact with kids your own age." Celica advised. Since arriving, he only talked with the Crowe family.
"…I know." Abel nodded as he stretched out the clothing, making sure it got all the moisture out. "It's just…difficult." He added, looking to the ground.
A sad smile graced her lips. Putting the spoon down, she walked to the child and gently rested her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not asking you to be a social butterfly, just to enjoy some of the simpler things in life." She sympathized for the boy. Celica could only guess living so far away from town wouldn't give Abel any chances to connect with kids his own age.
Abel nodded and smiled softly. "I know, Celica. Thank you." Pushing himself up, he made his way to the door. "I'll be outside." He said, taking her advice to heart along with his own mother's about not living with regret. Putting on the coat that was fixed by the homemaker, he slowly opened the door and let the small rays of light illuminate the inside. The cold to flood in, making him shiver a little. Stepping out, he pulled the door closed and looked around, seeing the grass covered in snow and small footprints that belonged to the youngest Crowe's.
Taking a deep breathe, he steeled himself and began to follow the footprints into the village. Walking the narrow path to town, when he turned around the small hill he found Velvet and Laphicet but they weren't alone. Other kids were with them and were throwing snowballs at one another while laughing together.
Standing there for a few second, just watching them, he decided to make himself known. "Velvet, Laphicet!" He called out.
Hearing their names, the two looked to the voice and smiled at who it was. "Abel!" Both yelled with smiles. Laphicet took it a little further and ran to give him a hug. Giving the older boy a hug, he said. "Good to see you outside." Velvet was close behind and smiled up at him, seeing as he was an inch taller than her.
"Your big sister thought it would be nice if I came out and played with you." Abel explained while gently patting the boys head.
"That's great. Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone." Taking his hand in her gloved hand, she led the new family member to meet her friends with her brother following. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Abel. He's gonna be living with us." Velvet explained with a smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Abel greeted with a head nod. It was a girl Velvet's age to meet him first. "It's nice to finally meet you. My name is Niko, Velvet's best friend. She's been talking about you for some time." She introduced herself with a smile and informed the youth.
"Niko!" And embarrassed Velvet shouted with a nice blush. Her friends just laughed at her embarrassment.
"It's nice to meet you as well, Niko." Abel nodded to the girl. He was then introduced to everyone else and some asked a few questioned like if his hair was really like that and where he's from. "It is and I'm from the Warg Forest." He replied with a curt but polite tone.
Laphicet then tugged on his sleeve. "Wanna join?" The blonde boy asked with a giant grin. Thinking for a second, he shrugged. "Alright. Are there any teams?" The silver eyed boy asked. "Yeah. It was me, Laphicet and Velvet. With you it's an even four versus four." Niko said with a grin.
Pulling Abel to their spot, when everything was ready, Niko shouted. "Start!" Niko began with throwing a snowball far for someone her age but came short to hitting their 'base'. Like that, more snowballs were thrown by each side except for Abel, who just had his snowball cocked back.
Waiting for the right time to fire, he saw the perfect opportunity when one of the boys popped out too far, exposing his face. Firing it with great speed, he nailed the boy, making him cough loudly. Landing on the snowy floor, he laughed happily. "First hit belongs to us!" Velvet shouted as she kept pelting her friends.
As the snow fun continued, for the first time in these past months since he lost his mother, Abel could feel himself enjoying life and letting go. He didn't know that Celica and Arthur were watching them have fun with smiles on their faces.
~Later~
One full week had passed and the young whitette was doing better with the fact of living in a village. The village kids had accepted him as their friend and often played with them with Velvet and Laphicet when he didn't have any chores to do.
Speaking of chores, he was doing one of his favorites. Hunting. Abel was nestled high in a tree, waiting for any game to pass. It had been a couple hours, around five, since he's been outside and his focus was still as sharp as ever. 'Remember son, the key to hunting is patience and the ability to stay still for long periods of time without making a sound.' He recalled his mother's words during their first time hunting together.
A small, warm, smile graced his lips as he remembered how his mother helped him use a bow and arrow properly. Those happy memories were stopped when his acute hearing picked up on a twig being snapped. Silver eyes snapping open, his head turned to where the sound resonated from and found his prey. It was a decent sized prickleboar just sniffing around for food, unaware that it would be the food.
Letting it wander around for a few feet, until it was close enough where he could get a clean shot, Abel lowered his breathing until you couldn't even see it in the cold air. With practiced ease, he slowly grabbed an arrow from his quiver and pulled the string back just as slowly. Silver orbs never left the slowly walking prey while preparing.
Smirking a little, he got the perfect chance when it stopped when it was wide open. Breathing out, he let the arrow fly straight through the boar's gullet, coming out the other side with the arrow head soaked in its blood. The prickleboar screeched in pain for a few second before it dropped, it's breathing lessened until the last breath was breathed.
Nodding to himself, he dropped from the tree, while jumping from lower branch to branch until he could land safely. Going out of the roll, he lightly jogged up to the dead boar with a hunting knife in hand. Slowing to a walk, he reached out and placed two fingers at the pulse point and listened. "Time to get to work." Abel muttered as he began to gut the creature.
The quietness of the snowy forest calmed his heart and mind. His focus was finishing the job and getting the meat for the family he was growing to care for each day. A soft tune began to escape from his throat with his eyes closing.
While Abel was doing this, he didn't know Arthur was a little way away, watching him. It was an accident that the man came across the youth but how well he hunted intrigued and impressed him. Usually it took years for someone who hunted to get as good as Abel was. To Arthur, the boy had the makings of a great warrior and exorcist that might rival his own.
Done skinning, Abel picked up the prickleboar and made his way back home, not knowing he had been watched by Arthur who left before he was seen.
~Days Later~
"Are you sure it's alright for me to intrude on your training with Velvet, Arthur?" Abel questioned the elder male as he held his bow and quiver, asked by Arthur.
Some days passed since Arthur saw the young silverette hunt with such skill and he had decided it would be time to see his skills for his own. With his chores done, he asked him to join him and Velvet with some light training.
They were now outside the house and in the small opening where they, Arthur and Velvet, trained. "I am sure. You've been hunting food for us and I'm curious about your abilities." He explained.
Glancing at Velvet, who was waiting for them, she saw her give an excited nod. Sighing mentally, he looked back at Arthur. "Alright. What will you have me do?" Abel asked.
Instead of answering, Arthur looked around for something before walking a few feet away and bent down. grabbing what he was looking for he smiled and showed it to be an apple. "I want to see if you can hit this apple on my head," Walking a few more feet away, he stood against a tree with the apple on his head. "From this distance." He said.
Abel let his eyes get the distance. 'Alright. Two hundred and fifty yards. With a slight wind from the east.' He thought, taking in the variables that he took whenever he was shooting. Nodding to himself, he took out one of his arrows and pulled it against the string.
Velvet was watching the scene from the side with some worry. While she wasn't that great at hunting with a bow and arrow, she knew the distance would be difficult and was worried if Abel missed, he'd hit Arthur. The girl would have said something if Arthur wasn't so calm.
Keeping the arrow back, Abel let the wind blow through the area before he moved. Angling the bow to the right a little, he let it fly. Velvet was a little surprised as, from the trajectory, he'd miss the swordsman by a mile. She was proven wrong.
Just as the arrow was a few feet from the stationed male, the wind blew a little harder, making the arrow move and ran the apple through. "…Wow!" After a few seconds of silence past, the young Crowe was in awe.
Smiling, Arthur pulled himself from the tree and saw the apple still rooted to the tree. "Well done. That was an impressive shot for someone so young." He complemented.
Bringing his bow down, he blushed a little. "Thank you, Arthur. I should thank the wind, though. If it didn't blow when it did, I would have missed." Abel explained, trying to be humble about his skills.
"Like any true hunter would do. Use the environment to their advantage." Again, he praised the youth. "Now, can you fight without the bow and arrow?" He asked.
"I can, but not as great like my archery." Thinking for a second, Abel answered honestly. "I used my smaller built to my advantage in choosing my weapon, along with being something my mother taught me, and focused on using that advantage to the max." He added.
"Sound argument." The ponytailed male nodded. "What other weapon have you practiced with?" Arthur questioned.
"Well, I am alright using brass knuckles, katanas, and naginatas." Abel listed off.
"Mh. Interesting choices of battle." The elder mused with a nod. "I think we can work with that. I've been training Velvet to use a blade. The two of you can be sparing partners." He stated.
END
I know this is a short chapter and sorry about that. Really wanted to show a little part of Abel interacting with other kids and the beginning of the training and what weapons Abel could use. Next chapter will show some of his skills without the bow.
Storm Out!