Coldwillow looks back and forth between the foxes, and answers Iorwen’s question, “Yes, I mean that. He has plenty of magical potential and can become a fine wizard. He is welcome at the University.”
Iorwen’s ears fall when she hears this.
Larrikan says, “When may I start?”
Coldwillow tells him, “Meet me at my office, two days after the Gather, three hours after dawn.”
Larrikan is thrilled, and says, “Yes, ma’am!”
Wyllow starts to object, “But…”
He is interrupted by Iorwen, who says, “No, Wyllow. I told him he can. And there is a way.” Iorwen turns to Coldwillow and Ragna and asks, “May we have our boy until the Gather has ended?”
Larrikan looks a little confused, but Ragna replies, “Of course. He is welcome here, as are you all.” Coldwillow just nods, wondering what she is missing.
Iorwen replies, “Thank you,” and says to the other foxes, “Let’s finish this at our camp.” Wyllow nods and also thanks the two humans for their time and interest before he takes the vixen who brought him and departs.
Coldwillow looks concerned but only says, “Hmmm.”
Ragna tells her, “Something there we don’t understand. Keep an eye on that boy. If you need any help, you know you can ask me.”
Back at the Shy Folk camp, Wyllow says to Iorwen, “There is no way one of us can stay in one town for that long. And who will stay with him? He’ll go… you know… if he’s left alone that long!”
Iorwen shakes her head and says, “No, there is a way. My grandmother did it, and now my grandson will. I will show him.”
Wyllow looks disapproving, and says, “I don’t like that. It is on you. I won’t be the one to tell his mother.”
Iorwen glares at the older Elder and tells him, “I don’t like it either, but I won’t deny him. It may be on me, but so will his success. I refuse to hide because some are afraid.”
Larrikan misses most of this because Aedaith pounces on him when he gets back to camp. She has clearly missed him and intends to catch up on lost snuggling time. Larrikan is joyous and spends some of that energy with the frisky vixen. After that, he is trying to explain to her that he gets to become a wizard.
This seems unclear to Aedaith, until Larrikan tells her he will be staying at the University. That she gets. She is shocked, and disappointed. “That means I’ll have to find a new group to travel with in the next two days,” she complains. “What will you do?”
Iorwen interrupts, “I will be showing him that now.”