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"How's it going, Froki?"
"Huh?"
"I said, How, Is, It, Going?"
"Why are you yelling?"
"So you can hear me?"
"Huh?"
"AAAAARGH!"
"Heh heh."
I followed Froki around the woods.
"You did what I told you to do?" He asked.
"Yes, I hunted all the beasts you listed, climbed the seven thousand steps, got recognized by a beast as a companion and hauled together to the moon... actually we meowed. Hauling is for dog heathens." I listed the tasks Froki gave me around three years ago.
"... You did, huh? And found yourself a cat?"
"Fufu! You won't even get to imagine how cute and fluffy she is." I bragged.
"Sigh! Look at your size and how idiot you are... how did you become this large for Kyne's sake?"
"That's quite the tale, care to listen?"
"Do tell."
"Well, after I left Riften....." I started telling my story to Old Froki.
He walked in the forest collecting mushrooms and checking the traps he made. There was quite the hunt and it seemed that we are feasting.
An hour passed and we reached his shack in the woods.
Froki has a bit of an influence on me, he is the one who inspired me to pursue my faith in cats. This guy has the same case as he dedicated his life for his beliefs too. He is a zealot of Kyne.
He hates the Imperial Pantheon that regards Kyne as Kynareth and mocks them 24/7. He also hates life in the cities and lives entirety in the woods.
A Hunter, a Warrior, a Survivalist. This man taught me much stuff ever since Nurina introduced me to him. She saved his life once when she encountered a Witch Coven that he was fighting and she admired his way of life and the ability to fight and harness nature to his advantage, she then threw me to him and told him to teach me.
It wasn't easy to learn from an elderly person like him but I managed. Wulfur had a hard time with him though.
"So, after all I have taught you, you didn't only get to be a city rat, but you are building a city of your own. Looks like I'll shoot you after all."
"Tsk, put that away before you hurt yourself, old man."
*swoosh* *swoosh*
"Mommy! Fuck!"
The old man held the bow in reverse and shot while giving me his back.
"... Last chance! Say something I want to hear."
"I... Yes! I forced the Empire's people to accept the Temple of Kyne I built in Winterhold. They didn't like it but I forced it anyway."
"Oh... you did? That's good news."
He finally put the bow away.
"The lady, how is she doing?" He asked about Nurina.
"Teaching and bossing people around in Winterhold."
"So you all moved there. What of your friend?" Froki asked about Wulfur.
"He's with me." I said.
"..." He narrowed his eyes and looked around.
"There is no one here. You think I am that old boy?"
"... You are that old."
"Yes I am old but I can still hear the woods, no one is there other than you and me… there three Orc hunters a mile away to the north."
"..." I was speechless. He can tell that there are three Orc hunters a mile away but can't hear me. Who am I supposed to complain to now?
This old man is a Druid but not as good as Alina. He still is crafty and way more experienced as hunter and survivalist.
Even though Wulfur is in the Cube and there is no way Froki can tell, I still wanted to taste that thin victory over him.
I pointed the ring in my hand to the middle of the shake and pulled Wulfur out of the Cube. Wulfur, who appeared out of the blue and kept looking around left and right, saw Froki and froze.
"So, it's magic… you became good." Froki said and looked at Wulf.
"... Ol- Old Froki… hey." Wulfur was still traumatized from last time.
"Tsk." Froki clicked his tongue and looked away towards the rabbits he was dismantling.
"So, what bring you boys here?"
Wulf and I looked at each other then I spoke.
"We are here to visit."
"And?" Forki seemed to read our minds.
"... There are some things we want to ask you about."
***
The rest came out of the ring after they learned we reached our destination. Unlike how he met us, Froki was super nice to the girls. He even taught Jull how to shoot arrows to the back.
I begged him to teach me that for years but he just… dammit!
I can already tell the reason. Jull's ability and talent as a shooter far surpassed me. I am not a bad archer but I am not a genius.
The strange thing happened when Froki saw Alina. He addressed her as Kyne's Sybil right away. It seemed that he is a member of the 'Guardians of the Grove' and he met Alina before when she was recognized as the [Favored Daughter of Kyne].
"So, are any of you interested in the Sacred Trials of Kyne?" Froki asked.
"I have already done it but I didn't get my Token." I said.
"It was part of the initiation to my title so I am good." Alina said.
Wulfur, Bjorna and Jull haven't experienced the trials before.
"You will get your token. You three, are you interested?" Froki asked.
"I always wanted to do it." Jorna said.
"... Yes… let's do it." Wulf, who failed once in the past, decided to tag along anyway.
"What are these trials about?" Jullanar asked.
"Hunting trials in the name of Kyne to prove your ability as survivalist against some spirit beast. Nothing dangerous about them." I said.
"And the reward?"
"A blessed Token of Kyne. A powerful artifact that grants good health and power. It will also peacify beasts if you have gone through the Pilgrimage on the Throat of the World which both of us did, that is why I decided to delay it until I am done with the pilgrimage."
"Oh… I see. I have performed the pilgrimage so I get the powerful token, right?"
"Correct."
"Fine, I am in."
Unlike the game, the Trials of Kyne doesn't require the one to wander around Skyrim to hunt some spiritual beasts, they are all around the woods of the Rift.
Froki led the three to a bonfire where he started the ritual and sent them to the hunt. Alina and I remained and conversed with Froki about this and that.
My reason for coming here was to get my Token and to ask Froki about some strategies to defend Winterhold. The man can go alone around the woods as if he is king here and not a single creature will dare to cross him. Even the infamous bears and trolls of the Rift are threatened by him.
He told me how to cover the south and west of Winterhold and suggested some sort of trees that can grow in the frozen wastelands of Winterhold. I always wanted to have some small grove there and make Alina bring some Spriggans and inhabit it for it to become a small woodland one day so I took Froki's advice for it.
The next day, the three people on Kyne's Sacred Trial came back with the first the beasts hunt. The spirit wolf, skeever and mudcrab were the first three beasts. The second three were the Sabercat, the Mammoth and the Bear which are way too difficult and would take a few days. Thankfully, my friends are way stronger than me when I took that trial for the first time and they will manage, the Spirit Mammoth is a pain the ass though, thankfully, it can't do much damage as a spirit.
As we waited for them, Alina and I meditated in the woods for days while taking care of baby gryphon.
Oh! And we finally picked him a name.
After a long struggle between the Pharaonic, Draconic and Norse names, we named it Lokthur which was a mix of everything we had.
'Luk' in the Dragon language means 'Sky' and 'Thur' means 'Overlord'. It also had the same rhyme as 'Luxor' which is an ancient Egyptian city.
Anyway, we will call him Lux or Luk for short.
One more thing, the damn bird ate all my beef liver. I almost cried but it seemed that it grew stronger so all for the good.
The Trials of Kyne took another week until our funny three managed to hunt their beasts and took the last assignment to hunt a powerful Spirit Troll.
Our stay around Froki's place got prolonged a little and a week passed.
Luk grew up very fast from a helpless chick to cheeky Fledgling but Alina's power as Kyne's Favored worked on him and he was so very obedient with her… and he hated me so much.
He also had a very good relationship with Nefertiti and they hit it off really well. She would always act like a big sister and watch over him. He also was very obedient with her.
I only believe in cats so I don't really mind a stupid gryphon or whatever. Still, the white feather that started to grow on him was super fluffy.
A few days later, Wulf, Jorna and Jull returned from the hunt and handed the proof to Froki. He started his bonfire and made the ritual once again.
In the end, we were handed four Tokens
[Greater Kyne's Token] Protects from Beasts. Grants Stamina. Soothes the wild animals. Communes with Nature. Calms the weather. Fortifies the Thu'um.
It is like 'Kyne's Premium Package' all in one. Even though I am blessed by Kyne, this is as good as the blessing too.
The first three abilities it grants are for the 'Common Tokens' and the last three are for the 'Greater Tokens'. I heard that each Druid needs a Greater Token to start the practice, not that I am interested or anything. I just find it much better than the Amulet of Talos I always wear.
The last thing we needed from Froki was for Alina to learn who to start a Sacred Trial and to know some secrets. Froki happily provided Alina with what he knows and was very happy to hear that we intend to make it a common trial in the Temple of Kyne.
I think I can't repay this man enough but I at least know how to prevent a disaster from falling on his son who lives at Helgen.
We bid the old man farewell and hit the road once again.
Next stop, Whiterun!