Intuition and Insight(Bloodkiss-Cysma)

Caoimhe smiled and nodded in acknowledgment of Dane's introduction, and was about to speak when Raelin interrupted with a much-displeased sound.

Raelin huffed. "You want me to teach this whelp?" She grumbled, then sighed in resignation. "Well, first of all, you don't find your familiar. It will find you. You simply have to open yourself to your magic. Do you know anything about your power?"

Caoimhe cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Power? I was under the impression that witchcraft was something one did. Casting spells and such."

Raelin smacked her forehead in exhasperation. "You are daft! You stupid girl, magic is not a craft you learn. Some people try to learn it, but only people with the inherent power are able to actually do anything other than make smoke. You have the scent of a magic-bearer. You have to let the earth speak to you, and it will tell you who you are." She stood and turned to Dane. "Perhaps you should come along to help. I'm going to need as much patience as I can muster, which isn't much."

Caoimhe got the feeling that Raelin didn't like her, but then, it seemed that she didn't like anyone. She had a haughty attitude, and Caoimhe prayed that she could deal with it for the sake of gaining knowledge.

"I am but a simple potion mixer." Dane said. "What could I possibly do to help?"

Meanwhile, Zayle was out and about in the city, going about his daily business.

Raelin was already headed out the door. "You will be there to keep me from strangling the girl and to help to keep the girl from killing herself with her power."

Caoimhe blanched, suddenly terrified of the new knowledge she was about to gain. She sincerely hoped Raeli. Was kidding about the power killing her.

"Where are you going?" Dane asked.

(Blanched?)

(It means to turn pale or white in shock)

Raelin was out the door. "The woods." Caoimhe stood, following after Raelin.

"Well, I guess I should follow, then." Dane said, going after the girls. They passed by Zayle on the way to the woods. He turned to look at them as they passed by.

Caoimhe smiled and waved to Zayle as they passed.

Raelin glanced back to Caoimhe, following her gaze to Zayle. After a quick, assessing glance she looked back to the street. They headed out of the city and into the woods, Raelin leading the two deep into the shade of the trees to a small glen. "Here."

Caoimhe cocked an eyebrow, glancin around. "Now what?"

"This looks like a good place for a witch to practice her craft." Dane said. "Let's see...what is the first thing a witch should learn?"

Raelin went over to Caoimhe and, facing her, took her by the shoulders. "The first thing this young witch needs to learn is how to touch her magic. Close your eyes, trust me, and let yourself go. Listen to the trees and the earth. They'll tell you what you need to know."

Caoimhe did as she was asked, and Raelin slowly stepped back, molding her flesh back into the form of a wolf. Caoimhe felt herself slipping into a state of peace. Darkness swelled around her in her mind's eye, taking on shapes and personalities. Her body still stood in the little glen, under dappled sunlight, but her mind was somewhere strange. It was in that strange place that light and shadows swirled around her like smoke or fog, tugging her toward something, pullin her in all directions. She felt like her body would explode, being pulled in a thousand directions by these non-existent beings.

Raelin watched Caoimhe carefully, waiting for her cue. Caoimhe didn't know what to do, and Raelin guessed that even if she did she wouldn't be able to do it. So she would help. She looked toward Dane, hoping he would be ready for this. She braced herself for the impact to come, and raised a paw to one of Caoimhe's hands, claws out. After a deep breath that seemed to last forever, she swung, cutting open the palm of Caoimhe's right hand.

Caoimhe felt a sharp pain in her right hand, and it seemed to swell out around her, shoving back the shadows. She suddenly felt warm all over, and then it happened.

Raelin flew back a few feet, but Caoimhe flew farther, the blast of energy sending her reeling backward. She landed hard on the ground and skidded a few feet.

Caoimhe slowly opened her eyes, confused and sore. She glanced down at her hand and notice three large gashes, blood pooling in her palm.

Raelin morphed her body back into her natural form, moving to Caoimhe's side. "There. Your magic is released. Now use it."

Dane had come prepared, as he had carried whatever he could in his arms. He held up a vial of red liquid to Caoimhe. "Here, drink this. It should heal those wounds." He also got some bandage wraps, ready to wrap them around her hand.

Raelin grabbed Dain's wrist to stop him. "Don't bandage those cuts yet. She needs to learn to tap her magic first."

Caoimhe growled, sitting up and glaring at Raelin. "What the hell did you just do?"

"What you couldn't do." She snapped back. "I showed you your gift, now use it."

Caoimhe didn't have the slightest idea what she meant, but her hand was aching something terrible. When she glanced down at her hand again it looked strange. It appeared to be glowing, and the light pulsed with her heartbeat.

Dane nodded and stood back at Raelin's request. Witches were known to brew many things in their cauldrons, so he figured he might at least be able to help with that part.

Caoimhe was too shocked to even stand, confused and thinking she was dreaming. She watched her hand and felt drawn to it, felt all of her energy flowing to that point. Fighting panic, she glanced up at Raelin.

Raelin motioned for Caoimhe to focus on her hand again, rather irritated that the girl still didn't understand. Ususally the witch would know what to do, based on instinct. But it seemed that Caoimhe needed help still. "Focus. Focus everything you are into that one spot."

Caoimhe did as she said and was surprised when a small flame appeared in her hand, like a white-hot rosebud. She smiled in disbelief and watched as it began to bloom and grow larger. She glanced up at Raelin, excited by her new-found ability, and it went out like a candle.

Raelin sighed. "You lost your concentration. But you know how to call on your power now." She turned to Dane and motioned him over. "You can bandage her hand now. She'll be fine. It should heal faster now that she's opened herself to her magic."

"Right. Glad that I could help." Dane said with a small smile. He took Caoimhe's hand and carefully wrapped the bandage around it. "You've done well, both of you."

Caoimhe smiled weakly, suddenly feeling rather tired. "Thank you." She glanced down at their hands as he worked, glad that he had come along. With the end of the flow of magic, her hand had begun to hurt again.

Raelin stood and stretched. "Well, we can head back for now. You won't have enough energy left to practice with your magic today, but Dane and I can teach you some alchemy." With that she changed back into the form she was most comfortable in, a large grey wolf.

"Do you feel like you could learn alchemy today, Caoimhe?" Dane asked as the three of them headed back into town. "You look a little tired..."

When they headed back, they would run into Zayle again. Raelin caught his eye, and he tried to get her attention.

Caoimhe nodded. "Yes, I think I can learn a little more today."

Raelin glanced toward Zayle when they passed, her ears twitching in agitation. He and Caoimhe had spent the night together, that much she could tell. They reeked of eachother's scents. Her tail swished back and forth in boredom as they made their way back through the city.

They made their way back to the alchemy lab, where Dane prepared his equipment. "All right. Raelin, what should we start with?"

The she-wolf shrugged, sitting on the floor beside the worktable. She looked to Caoimhe, staring into her eyes, and willed her to mindspeak.

Caoimhe wondered why Raelin was staring at her, but before she could ask, she knew the answer. "I can speak the common tongue of humans, but this is the language of my people. We have been in touch with the earth's magic for as long as anyone can remember. You are able to mindspeak because you are in touch with the earth now. The longer you practice your magic, the more in tune you will be with the earth. You will eventually be able to hear even the trees speaking." Raelin's voice was faint in her mind, barely even a whisper, but she understood every word. "That's amazing!"

Raelin winced. The girl had spoken aloud while their minds were still connected, resulting in an assault on Raelin's ears and mind. She barked, but couldn't hide her humor. The girl would eventually learn not to do that, but for now she was still their student in every way. She had no clue what she could do.

Raelin crossed his arms, looking over to his shelves of ingredients. "I would like to make myself useful, ladies..."

Caoimhe turned toward him quickly, blushing. "Of course, I'm sorry. What can you teach me? I want to learn everything you can teach to me." She smiled brightly, hoping she hadn't offended him. She hadn't meant to ignore him, she'd simply been amazed at her newfound abilities.

Raelin felt herself laughing inside at the girl's enthusiasm. She wished she had that much gusto half the time. Caoimhe seemed to have endless smiles. Deciding that she should help Dain, she changed back into her previous form, the tall, slender woman replacing the grey wolf once more.

"We can start with a basic healing potion, I suppose." Dane began. He was getting out a vial of water and several ingredients common in alchemy, and glanced over to Raelin as she returned to her humanoid form.

"Pardon me..." A familiar voice called out. It was Zayle, his skin seeming to shine as though he had bathed recently; Caoimhe's scent no longer found on him. "I am looking for...a potion of Xoethi'lk." He named the potion in Elven, as though he wanted to hide it from the ladies.

"I will be right with you." Dane replied in Elven as well. Zayle nodded and stepped out. "Sorry about that." He addressed the others in Common. "Now, you use a mortar and pestle to grind these ingredients into a fine powder..."

Raelin stepped over and nodded to Dain. "I will help her. You take care of your customer."

Caoimhe smiled warmly to Zayle when he came into the room, wondering what he'd been doing all day. She couldn't wait to tell him what she had discovered today, about her powers and the odd experience that brought them about.

"Caoimhe! How have you..." Zayle stopped when he figured that she would be too busy to respond. Dain was off preparing another concoction for Zayle. The drow waited with a handful of coins, presumably his payment for the potion.

Caoimhe was about to ask Zayle what he'd been about to say, but Raelin demanded her attention, snapping her fingers in front of Caoimhe's face and drawing her back to their work. Caoimhe frowned and went back to her studies, glaring sidelong at Raelin.