The next morning, Shoko woke not to sunlight or warmth...
But to something poking his cheek.
He opened his eyes and saw a small, fluffy creature standing on his pillow, they had round ears, big eyes, and long golden whiskers. It tilted its head, chirped, and poked him again with a paw.
Shoko jerked upright in a panic. The creature chirped louder, as if offended.
Ariandel's voice floated from the doorway, warm with amusement.
"Ah. So you've met Tilli."
The little creature hopped onto Shoko's lap and curled up immediately purring as it had claimed him.
Shoko stared down at it, frozen. "What... is this thing?"
"Tilli is a moss-cat," Ariandel said with a smile.
"They like warm places. And apparently, they like you."
The moss-cat rubbed its face against Shoko's stomach, purring harder.
Shoko blinked. "Why?"
Ariandel raised a brow. "Perhaps because you look like one."
Shoko's mouth fell open. "I-I do not!"
Ariandel stepped closer, tapping her finger against his cheek. "Hush, little frost cat. Your hair sticks out in every direction, you hiss at sudden noises, and you stare exactly like an abandoned kitten."
Shoko puffed up his cheeks in outrage.
"I don't hiss!
Right as he said it, Tilli poked him again, and he let out a startled hiss just like she said he would.
Ariandel covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with laughter.
Shoko smacked his hands over his face. "I'm going back to sleep."
"No you're not," Ariandel chirped, tugging him out of bed. "We have training."
The moss-cat flopped behind them, as if joining the lesson.
Shoko groaned.
In the clearing, Ariandel stood with hands clasped behind her back, all regal and composed... which Shoko suspected was a tactic to show how not composed he was.
"Today," she announced, "you start actual thread manipulation."
Shoko nodded, trying to imitate her stance. His hair promptly flopped into his face.
Ariandel hid a smile.
"First," she said, "summon your threads."
Shoko closed his eyes and listened for the hum inside him, the small vibration like a plucked string just as he did the other day.
It answered quickly.
Light pulsed through his fingertips. Thin strands unfurled, shimmering pale silver.
Tilli chirped in awe.
Ariandel clapped gently. "Good. Now hold them."
Shoko tried.
Tried very, very hard.
The thread flickered, wobbled, tangled, bent too far, snapped back and one whipped him across the forehead.
Shoko fell backwards into the moss, stunned.
Ariandel winced sympathetically. "Ah. Yes. Threads have personalities."
Shoko stared up at the sky. "Mine hate me."
Ariandel offered her hand to help him up. "They do not hate you. They're wild. Untrained. Like a small, badly-behaved pet."
Shoko frowned. "Like Tili?"
The moss-cat chirped angrily.
Ariandel laughed again. "Exactly."
Shoko groaned.
Ariandel gathered shimmering threads of starlight into her palm, letting them arc gracefully like ribbons of water.
"Watch closely."
Her threads flowed smoothly, obediently, forming shapes and patterns as if alive.
"Thread craft has three foundations," she explained.
She lifted one finger.
"First: Control.
Your threads must obey your intention. Not your fear. Not your instinct. Your will."
She lifted a second finger.
"Second: Form.
Threads can become rings, blades, shields, snares, or seals. But every form starts with a stable line."
And the last one and the most important one.
"Third: Resonance.
Your threads respond to your emotions. Anger sharpens them. Fear scatters them. Calm steadies them."
Shoko nodded slowly.
"So... I need to calm down."
"Yes," Ariandel said.
"I can try."
Tilli suddenly darted onto Shoko's shoulder causing him to jolt.
The threads snapped and tangled.
Ariandel sighed. "We will also be working on your nerves."
Shoko took a deep breath and tried again.
Threads emerged, it was dimmer this time, but steadier.
Ariandel circled him slowly. "Good. Now extend one thread outward. Only one."
Shoko focused intensely.
One thread stretched.
Then two.
Then twelve.
Ariandel blinked. "...Shoko. That is not one."
"I'm trying!" Shoko cried, panicking.
The threads whipped around widely. One wrapped around a tree branch, another tied itself to Ariandel's roe, and two knotted together like confused noodles.
Tilli meowed enthusiastically as if cheering for the chaos.
Ariandel muttered, "You might be more powerful than I thought, oh saints save me..."
She moved quickly, gently placing her hands on Shoko's to guide him.
Immediately the threads softened, calming at her touch.
"Breathe," she whispered.
Shoko slowly inhaled through his nose, shaky. The threads aligned. One by one, the extras faded.
Only a single thread remained.
Shoko stared at it in awe. "I did it..."
"You did," Ariandel said proudly.
The thread quivered, like a timid tail.
Ariandel chuckled. "Now, make it curve."
Shoko's confidence swelled.
He tried bending it.
The thread obediently curved and then looped all the way around his waist and tied him to a tree.
Shoko's soul left his body.
Ariandel punched the bridge of her nose and whispered, "It's too early for this."
Tilli howled with laughter.
After freeing him (and making sure he hadn't tied a knot strong enough to survive a war), Ariandel changed methods.
"Sit," she ordered gently.
Shoko sat cross-legged in the moss.
Ariandel stood behind him and rested a warm hand on his back.
"Your magic resonated with emotions. We must give it something steady to cling to."
Shoko stiffened as her other hand came to rest on his shoulder.
"Relax," she said. "You're safe."
The words worked like a spell.
His shoulders loosened.
His breath steadied,
"Good," she murmured. "Now summon a single thread."
Light flickered at his fingertips.
It held a thin and wavering, but stable.
Ariandel smiled. "See? When you feel safe, your magic listens."
Shoko nodded shyly. "Because... you're here."
Ariandel paused.
Something warm flickered in her eyes.
"I'm glad," she said softly. "Magic is easier when you trust."
Tilli made a soft, proud chirp and curled around Shoko's legs.
Shoko blushed. "Even the cat is judging me."
"He's supporting you," Ariandel corrected.
Shoko glanced down. Tilli blinked up at him like a starry-eyed fan.
Shoko sighed. "Why does he like me so much?"
Ariandel knelt beside him. "Because your magic feels soft to him."
Shoko blinked. "Soft?"
"Like warm silk," she explained. "Gentle. Safe. Thread-magic is sensitive. Creatures feel it.
Tilli licked Shoko's hand.
Shoko squeaked.
Ariandel choked on her own laughter.
By midday, Shoko had mastered 3 things:
1. Single-thread extension
2. Forming a small loop
3. Holding a thread steady for longer than three seconds ("A miracle," Ariandel had said dramatically.)
Now came shapes.
Ariandel conjured a perfect ring of starlight.
"This is a Bind-Loop," she explained. "It can wrap around objects or limbs to immobilize them. Your first practical spell."
Shoko stared at it. "I can do that?"
"Yes," she said proudly. "Eventually."
Shoko squinted. "... that means not today?"
Ariandel smiled. "Correct."
Shoko groaned.
Tilli patted his leg in solidarity.
"Trey is forming a circle," Ariandel said.
Shoko focused. A thread extended, curved... curved more... almost closed and then shot off into the sky like a rogue firework.
Ariandel watched it go, expression blank.
"...We will pretend that didn't happen."
Shoko covered his face again. "I hate magic."
"No you don't"
"I hate my magic."
"No you don't"
"I hate-"
"Shoko."
He froze.
Ariandel knelt in front of him, taking both his hands gently.
"Magic is like a child," she said softly. "It behaves as well as its wielder believes it can"
Shoko's breath caught.
"So believe," she whispered.
The warmth in her voice soothed him. He tried again.
This time, the thread curved slowly, shaky, but earnestly, and formed a nearly full loop before dissolving.
Ariandel smiled like he had created a masterpiece.
"That," she said, "is progress."
Shoko felt a warmth in his chest.
After hours of training, Ariandel made lunch, roasted vegetables, soft bread, and warm honey root.
Shoko approached eagerly, only to freeze mid-step.
Tilli was curled in Ariandel's lap.
Shoko glared. "He... took my spot."
Ariandel blinked. "You're what?"
Shoko looked away quickly, cheeks flushing. "N-nothing."
Ariandel hid her smile. "Come here, Shoko."
He sat beside her. Just close enough. Not invading. Enough to feel her warmth.
She handed him food; he ate eagerly.
She stroked Tilli's fur; Shoko's (metaphorical) tail puffed again.
Araindel giggled. "You're jealous."
Shoko nearly inhaled the bread. "I am NOT."
"You very clearly-"
"I AM NOT"
Tilli chirped smugly.
Ariandel kissed the top of Shoko's head before he could combust.
He froze.
Then melted like warm cheese.
"...Okay," he mumbled. "Maybe a little jealous."
"I know," she laughed.
As the sun dipped lower, turning the clearing gold, Shoko attempted one final exercise, weaving two threads together.
Ariandel stood by with hands on her hips, determination glowing in her eyes.
"You can do this," she said. "Calm. Focus."
Shoko breathed.
Threads extended.
He guided them slowly... carefully.
They touched, flickered then...
FWOOSH!
A small explosion of harmless sparkles blasted outward, coating everything in shimmering dust.
Shoko stood frozen, covered in glitter.
Ariandel blinked once... twice...
Then burst into laughter.
"Why," Shoko deadpanned, "did my magic explode into sparkles?"
Ariandel wiped her eyes. "Because you're dramatic."
Shoko crossed his arms. "I am not dramatic."
He said this while covered head to toe in glitter, a tiny moss-cat clinging to his leg like it was holding on for dear life.
Ariandel almost choked.
When they returned to the cabin, Shoko collapsed onto his bed, exhausted but glowing with pride.
Ariandel knelt beside him, brushing stray hair from his face.
"You worked hard today," she said softly.
Shoko blushed. "Did I... do well?"
"You did beautifully."
His chest warmed.
"Ariandel?" he whispered.
"Yes, little one?"
"Will I ever be... good at this?"
She smiled gently.
"You already are."
Shoko's eyes softened.
"And tomorrow," she whispered, "we learn something new."
He smiled, it was small, but true.
"Okay."
Tilli curled up beside him, purring.
Ariandel kissed his forehead.
And for the first time in a long, long time, Shoko fell asleep smiling.