5 Leslie and Marcus Discourse on the Utility of a Sword

"In the hands of a skilled individual, a blade does not have to kill," Marcus said. "Using a tool meant to kill, as one to disable, limits the purpose of its function and in so doing makes the wielder vulnerable," “Why do you always take up cause against me,” Marcus said.“No one else agrees with me?” Leslie asked, sweeping the others with her gaze, with a notable pause as she passed Kim’s eye. Kim looked at Hunter sympathetically as they stepped into the crowd. “Fun has been robbed from us.” “That’s unjust,” usually quiet Tick, enjoined. “This is no fun. Let merriment enjoin. Put aside this tiresome discoursing.” “Yes, put it aside. It’s tiresome,” Tick said. “This is something with which I can agree.”"The merit of a tool is in what it was designed for,” Leslie continued, not relinquishing the point. “A blade is a weapon of war: designed to kill.”“There is no dispute in that,” Marcus conceded.“Some

6 Swimming Lessons

Not having been presaged by any scent or sound, rounding a bend in the corridor Hunter was little prepared for the vista presented stepping from the cave’s antechamber onto a plateau which sloped away to a lake, steam rising from its surface, and a valley beyond dense with trees. A breeze rushed up the slope, bringing scents from the green valley, the rising steam. Meeting the towering cliff face, the wind swirled before continue its climb up and over.A pang of longing seized Hunter, a doubt which he quickly suppressed. Once unconstrained by any beast or manner, he was now bound by shackles real and hidden and, he was coming to realize, some he had no inkling of.The silence that had ensued upon their arrival was broken by the scampering of feet and whoops of excitement. A trail of clothes was left behind in the dash to be the first to the lake.Hunter did not run with them, measuring his stride beside reminiscences of absent Tete. To share this with his brother . . . would be a th

7 Vital Essence

That took some getting used, but before long he was able to impel himself through the water and Kim had to step back a little more briskly.They both laughed and beamed at his accomplishment until Kim abruptly relinquished his hands. Hunter floundered, smacking and clawing at the water. As his head dipped below the surface, he went to plant his feet where normally would been lake bottom . . . and nothing. Panicking, gulping air and then water, he felt Kim’s hands close on his wrists like a vice. Pulling him headfirst, she yanked him from the water. “Relax,” she soothingly said. “You can still stand up.” She demonstrated by tapping her instep to the bottom of his foot which followed hers to the lake bottom.He had not noticed where the water had been waist high, it was now chest high.“It’s when you fight it that it takes you under,” she said when he calmed. “Don’t fight it. Use your own motion to ride the water’s surface.”She took to sliding him, curving him into spins, creating sha

All Chapters of Foundling: Chapter 81 - Chapter 83

5 Leslie and Marcus Discourse on the Utility of a Sword

6 Swimming Lessons

7 Vital Essence