Chapter Text
Tommy couldn’t wait for when he grew up, being a Familiar to a powerful witch was his dream. His little raccoon tail swayed side to side as he watched the TV. I mean what else would he dream about? He listened as Phil, the biggest man of all men, talked. He was one of the strongest Witches, he had a familiar of his own named Techno, he was a boar familiar, known for their brute strength.
Raccoons were good at a thing or two, being fast and clever animals, being stealthy was a thing too.
He watched as a replay of Phil using magic to stun the rogue witches. A light yellow circle appeared underneath them as they suddenly halted, one even fell to one knee. It was probably gravity magic, Tommy couldn’t wait to learn that. In fact why couldn’t he just grow up already to be familiar? He hated waiting…
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Tommy picked up some strawberries and carrots from his garden, his little cottage being the only house around for miles… Good it was better this way. Now witches would try to gain his trust just for the usage of magic, I mean it’s fair. Familiars have been associated with Witches for as long as he could remember, change never really affected the world, but this did.
One of the strongest rogue Witches familiar, Dream, who had a mark of a familiar when finally caught and asked about the witch he served… he just simply laughed.
“It was us familiars who taught you witches magic! So who's to say Familiars can’t familiarize with another Familiar? Who’s to say we can’t take back what we taught upon you humans!”
And with that the world was in chaos, day by day familiars became more scarce to come by. Their once best friend who they grew up with and taught they could never familiarize with finally broke and stayed as a team. It wasn’t a matter of who was a witch and who was not, now people had the chance to choose… Witches did not like that.
Guilds who were most popular were suddenly cut in half by Familiars leaving after years of abuse and treated like pets. Tommy thought this was good, freedom for the Familiars who were once used like items. Through that all… magic got stronger signaling this wasn’t a choice they could take back.
Well who’s familiar is Tommy? No one, this way he is free to do whatever he wants.
He didn’t need anyone, no one could boss him around. Nowadays familiars are making it more like marriage. You familiarize yourself with someone until you die.
He didn’t wanna Familiarize himself with anyone, and he’s okay with that.
Through all the change Phil and Techno stayed together, actually encouraging the growth saying the people who are mad just treat their familiars bad, why else would they leave unless you were a bad friend to them. Familiars labeled them as icons which Tommy thought was funny.
Tommy loved helping out the wild animals as much as he can, most of them have a bear trap or gunshot wound from hunters in which Tommy politely says fuck them ! Some of them even stayed with him after helping them, not as pets or familiars, just to feel safe. Tommy a while back as one of the first spells knows wildlife communication.
I guess as Tommy helped them they felt obligated to help him, encouraging him to find some way they could help.
“Patrol the area of the house, I don’t want Travelers thinking this is a place to stay.”
He told that to every last one of them, he even managed to cast a camouflage spell to make it look like his house was a simple hill, good enough to trick the lower level witches at least.
Some animals in return bring him spell books which he happily takes. He doesn’t go to town often, but the times he does he’s gained the reputation of the Lonely Raccoon as all the Witches or Familiars who see him as a chance to level up he rejects.
But that's enough of the past, I'm sure you much rather learn what's happening in the present… I’ll stop rambling now.
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Tommy placed his basket full of berries and veggies on the counter, turning to his most recent spell book, a book on healing potions and magic. The spells aren’t that good only able to heal a few scratches here and there but what would you expect from a book you got from a Frog. The potions are decent though being able to do regeneration or potion healing 1 or 2.
He schemes through the book until landing on a page of a spell called ‘heal wounds’. He remembers the time a person used this on a witch he pushed down when getting to buddy buddy with Tommy. It was able to heal the whole scrape, not that bad of a spell to learn.
He walks out of the kitchen heading down a hallway stopping at a door labeled ‘infirmary’ he opens the door which lets out a long earful creek before standing in front of a room full of animals like frogs, mice and rabbits. The Window had been kept open to let the animals in, he gave a smile, A female deer stood outside of the window head peeking into the room, a scrape on her leg could be shown
Tommy walked over to the window, careful of any mice scurrying their way around.
“Tommy!” a bird chirped, he looked up to see a crow with his wing wrapped in a bandage. He fluttered the damaged wing before speaking again “Tommy!”
“I’ll be over there in a sec, imma fix up Bertha first.” He spoke, the bird chirped in agreement as Tommy continued to walk. After almost tripping on 2 mice and 1 frog Tommy finally made his way to ‘Bertha’ who sat there patiently.
“Let’s see that scrape of yours, might’ve found a spell to help,” Tommy stated, Bertha slowly Nodded as she turned to her side showing the scrape to Tommy. “How’d this happen?”
“Kids, Don’t like.”
The voice rang out, Tommy nodded.
“I don’t frankly like kids either.” Tommy started placing his hand gently onto the scrape. Kids must’ve caught her off guard in the forest and used magic on her…
His hands warmed up as a faint green glow illuminated out from underneath his hand. Giving off a short warm of comfort as the scrape slowly closed up as the skin wrapped itself around the scrape giving a short hum as the scrape closed as the green light disappeared.
Tommy flung his hands up waving them giving a childish smile to the deer who turned back to look at her leg.
“All done!” His voice was cheerful and sincere. “Now time for you,” he spoke, turning to the crow who cawed in joyfulness.
“Tommy!” it cheered.
“I’m coming!” he said, making his way back to the bird. He stopped at the bird holding up his palm as the bird cheerfully jumped off the shelf into his hand. He slowly unwrapped the wing as the bird held it up.
Once done the bird flapped around his wings in victory. Tommy walked over to the window, bird in hand who he decided to name Dave, and held him out of the window. By now Bertha had wandered off into the forest giving Dave a wide open place to fly around.
“Alright, make sure to be careful,” Tommy spoke as the bird Cawed in acknowledgement. Dave flew off as the other animals went out the window as the sun became sundown, can’t complain, it’s less work.
He turned away as he looked down, noticing a small spider on the ground looking up at him. Tommy should name him Shroud, that suits him.
“Hello!” his voice was pitched holding out his hand for the spider to climb on. Instead the spider just stood there before glowing with dark red light. Tommy watched as the spider slowly turned into a kid, A familiar?
“Hello!” he excitedly said, picking Tommy’s hand up from the ground shaking it.
“And who might you be?” Tommy asked “and how do you find my home.”
“I don’t know who I am!” the kid said “but I accidentally rode on one of the rabbits you showed here.”
“Okay…umm, you wanna leav-”
“Nope!” The kid said “I want you to teach me magic!”
“What.” Tommy deadpanned
“I saw what you just did, it was cool, and I want you to teach me!” the kid spoke.
“Sorry dude, I don’t teach people.” Tommy said, taking the used bandage walking out the door going back to the kitchen.
“Please! I don’t really have anywhere else to go to learn magic!” the kid said following Tommy much to his annoyance.
“What about school! or at least your parents!” Tommy spoke, throwing the bandanges away.
“I don’t… have those…” Tommy stood staring at the kid.
“What’s your name kid?” Tommy asked, the kid just blinked.
“I don’t have one.” he answered, this kid is really a nobody.
“Hmm, alright kid, as an older person I guess it’s my responsibility to take care of.” The kids' eyes lit up. “Lucky for you I have a spare room for if any animals need to stay the night to heal. We can make that your room.”
The kid quickly nodded Tommy only walked away as the kid followed arriving at a room. Opening the door revealed an empty room, smaller than Tommys but still big. The kid looked around the space as if it was the biggest thing in the world.
“You can sleep on the couch since there's no bed in here, we’ll go shopping tomorrow.” Tommy stated, the kid ran around the room. Tommy couldn’t help but give a smile at the boy watching him wander around.
“It’s getting pretty dark, should start getting ready for bed.” Tommy said looking out the window in the kids room. “That reminds me! I can’t just call you kid. You need a name.”
“A name?” the kid stopped looking at Tommy. Tommy thought for a second but couldn’t come up with a name, then he remembered.
Tommy should name him Shroud, that suits him.
“How about Shroud?” Tommy asked, looking at the kid who simply gave him a thumbs up. He’s also gonna need to get the kid some more clothes. It seemed like those have not been washed in years, now looking neither does Shroud. Maybe I could give him the shampoo and let him have a bath in the morning…
“Alright imma get a blanket, you go and get comfy.” Tommy said, Shroud nodded walking out of the room walking down the hall, did Tommy show him the living room…? It’ll be fine.
Tommy grabs one of the more fluffy blankets as he makes his way to the living room. He looks at the couch not seeing Shroud on it.
“Shroud?” He said, something wet landed on Tommy’s cheek as he looked up he saw Shroud, his eyes were pure red and he was crying he looked almost in pain as he jumped down onto Tommy, Tommy ran out of the way as Shroud leaped towards him.
Shroud bit down onto Tommy's arm as Tommy wrapped Shroud into a hug as Shroud kept on struggling against Tommy’s grip. Finally Shroud seemed to give up as he let go of Tommy’s arm as Shroud sniffled, it dawned on Tommy that this was most likely ‘Beast control’ Tommy had read it in one of the forbidden books, it’s where the user at night turns almost wild, the more stronger magic they learn the bigger the threat at night.
He’s going to need to find that book.
“I’m sorry…” he managed to say whispering, he hiccups from crying.
“It’s fine…”Tommy said, picking Shroud up and laying him down onto the couch.
“I’m sorry…” he repeated, Tommy only sighed. “Don’t leave,” he hiccuped. It came to Tommy that Shroud was probably cursed as a baby and his parents gave up on him…
“I won’t,” Tommy said calmly “you need to get some sleep,” Shroud sniffed.
Every spell must have a cure, Tommy’s just gonna have to figure out what.