Blackfeather Woods they call me

Not a single word more left the northerner’s mouth as he listened to her, resisting the urge to jump in when she began to struggle. Although he intended to teach her everything that he could, he knew he could not coddle her, for no one else in the world would. He had to be stern and step back when necessary, allowing her to work through the words on her own—and she did, the final word of the prayer soon slipping out her mouth, bringing a ghost of a smile to his lips. “Very good,” he commented, her first try having been a success. “With repetition, you’ll soon have every word memorised.” And then it would be hers to use, either in times of need or for personal reasons, she would have it with her.

“Never lose your confidence when speaking, especially when addressing the Night Mother or Dread Father,” the man added. “The more confident you are, the more likely they’ll be to hear you.” Where the prayers were said often influenced who heard them, too, but that was a base he’d cover at a later date—after she’d learned more prayers and he felt she was ready. And with that thought fresh in his thoughts, he asked, “Would you like to hear another, or should we go over this one again?” He would leave the decision up to her, understanding that she was far more aware of her own pace than he was. If she felt she needed to hear it again, he would repeat it, and if she didn’t, he would move on.

What also came to mind, however, was her future—no amount of prayers would fix her leg, and so she would have to learn to live with it. “Becoming a priestess means that you might have to travel sometimes, either to potential branch packs or beyond,” he began. “Which also means that you’ll need to learn how to hunt.” Even without the potential for travels, she would still need to learn, but the possibility that she might someday be out on a journey alone made the matter all the more pressing. “That is something I can begin to help you with, too, if you’ll let me.” He could understand her struggle—not in full, but enough. He could understand her frustrations and beliefs, but he would not let anything drag her down. She would learn to fend for herself, one way or another—he’d make certain of it.