Gift stalked the purple plains.

He was a weapon, a hunter, a bow drawn ready to fire.

His prey was so close, he just needed to strike at the right moment.

Gift had awoken to a whole new world. He was amorphous, indistinct. He was just like mother Syl. But unlike his mother, he had the means to change that.

The little fox had teased him, told him he was no predator, no hunter. She haughtily refused to give him her identity. But the brothers had challenged him. Just one kill and they would share theirs.

That kill loomed just beyond the hill. An entire group, and he needed only one.

He pushed his way forward, passing through the tall stalks to look down on his target.

Gift measured up the white mass before him; they were docile herbivores, feeding off the domain, contributing little but nutrient distribution… he could do this.

Horned spirit Rabbit Lv.2 Spirit rabbits are often considered pests within the spirit realm. They are attracted to realms with sufficient grasslands. In small numbers, they help maintain their chosen habitat. They are seen as symbols of abundance, fertility, and renewal. As they are prolific breeders, their numbers often growing out of control, drawing the attention of beneficial predators. Their sturdy horns serve no other purpose than defence, though some grind them to powder to consume as an ineffectual aphrodisiac.

Unlike father Kai, Gift knew when to use his abilities.

Examine was easy and often revealed something crucial. He had just learned this horned spirit rabbit was indeed prey he could hunt without effecting his home. Prey he needed to keep under control to protect his home.

His parents will be so proud, impressed and thankful.

He just needed to assess his target and use the best method for a clean kill. This rabbit need not suffer for his needs.

While he had no access to his bow without best mother Alicia, he knew every skill she did on top of everything god mother Atheos had tried to lock away within him.

He was made from this place. A small part of it was with him always, and he could use that to his advantage.

Sure he had no form, and alone he had no mana of his own. But here, here in his home, he could draw upon it and his connections.

He thought for a moment, carefully assessing his lazy targets, deciding how to secure the kill.

His collection of constructed arrows was out. But the mana bolt that Mother Syl and Father Kai used didn't need a bow to fire off on their own… he checked. Mother Alicia didn't have the skill… But Gift was smart. He knew the forms, the constructs, and patterns. Gift could easily make a basic mana bolt, even amplify and modify it with power shot and his new aspect…

He hummed as he put the spell together piece by piece and formed a dark ball from the mana all around him.

It was tough, like pulling a string from afar, but he was patient and he only needed a little.

All it would take was one perfect shot, and he never missed.

He checked the breeze, the distance, and the elevation. The rabbit he was focusing on often sniffed the air, looking about for threats, but never looking up. There were no sky-born predators here, and they had not learned to look up. It was foolish.

Gift planed his trajectory, adjusting the tracking forms, so when he released his bolt it would naturally arc the way he wanted it too.

Everything was ready.

Gift felt a tug… mother Alicia was calling him.

He resisted.

With a thought, the mana bolt flickered and fired off up high into the sky.

The horned spirit rabbits were alerted, and they stood high as they looked left and right, scanning the horizon for the threat they felt.

Snickering from the tall turf to his right caught Gifts' attention as a black little nose poked through the purple grass and a pair of red stilted eyes locked on him

"What was that? You missed. You'll never get a good shot off on them again. I told you needed tooth and claw to hunt. You have nothing… so sad."

Gift rolled his eyes, or at least he would have if he had any.

"Just wait," he hummed.

Any moment now…

You have killed Horned spirit Rabbit Lv.2 Nascent core detected, Essence diverted to host.

That was strange, but a kill was a kill.

He turned to Hoshi, "Confirm the kill please," Gift hummed.

The little Kitsuné's red eyes blinked at Gift. Then he popped his head out of the cover to look at the fleeing rabbits. A second later, his head shot back towards Gift.

"How?"

"A hunter knows to always attack from the direction the prey least expects—"

"But you fired straight up."

"And that shot came back down on my target. Now pay up."

Hoshi growled.

"That was so cool, whoosh blamm… well, it didn't make a sound but that fat rabbits deader than dead. Super dead," Rin said as he came trotting over. "What are you two talking about?"

Hoshi snapped at his brother, grabbing at the scruff of his neck before flicking his head to the side and running away.

Rin whined as he pawed at his neck, snarling he broke off to chase after his brother.

Gift thrummed his smoky form buzzing in annoyance. They had made a deal and the two of them had just ran off on him.

What was he to do now… there was the rabbit, it was prey, but it was also a start to his path.

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Just as he was about to head off to collect his prize, he noticed a red tipped white tuft of fur shaking in the breeze… Hoshi had ripped it free of his brother's scruff and run away.

He had his first identity, and it was a mighty one, given in fair competition.

Another tug… he needed to act fast or that call would turn into a summons he could not resist.

…

Alicia stepped back from the nest. "He has to be here somewhere." She looked about. "I can still feel him."

"I have him," Syl said, her head tilted back and her eyes closed. "He is a couple of miles away." She clicked her tongue. "He is with the two little troublemakers."

That was surprising, first Gift was a bow, restricted to Alicias whims. Then he was a mesh hand ornament that could at least hang out with them when Alicia wasn't in need of her weapon. But now, now, he was apparently wandering about on his own.

"Well, I tried calling him," Alicia cocked her head in thought, "but I think he resisted."

"Syl, how can you locate him? I mean, this is something I should be able to do in the domain, right?"

"You're right; it's actually quite easy. You kind of just feel for whoever it is you want to locate and if they are in the domain, you should be able to work out how far away they are and in what direction. It's easier if you look for the feel of their mana."

Thanric blew a puff of air out of his nose in dissatisfaction. "Feelings, easy to say, so hard to replicate."

Syl clicked her tongue at them man, "you're going to hate learning to manipulate and expand your own domain. There is no actual structure to it. You just find out what works for you and you do it."

Kai had to chuckle. Thanric was often perturbed by Kai's particular brand of nonsensical magic by feel, focus and intent.

But Kai had to focus. If he didn't get up to speed, he would fall far behind.

Kai tried feeling out, focusing on finding Gift. He had no sense of Gift's mana, however; he was more than familiar with the feeling of Alicia's mana. And no matter what changed, Gift was still part of her and unless he was mistaken. Gift should have a similar mana signature.

True to Syl's word, Kai's perception of his surroundings shifted and altered. It was like he was aware for the first time in his life, truly aware.

He searched for Alicia, and there she was, right there with him.

He looked further afield.

Feeling his domain for the first time, he was almost overwhelmed. It was much like using his mana sense, only everything was crisp, sharp and multiplied.

And yet, no headache.

Trying not to get lost in his new awareness, he looked for that same feeling he got from Alicia, but found nothing.

"I can't sense Gift. I tried looking for the same feeling as Alicia, but nothing…"

"Gift has changed, seems he has taken up a complimentary aspect to Alicias. Don't look for Alicia, feel her connections out. The strongest one should be Gift as he is a bound ego."

Hmm. Kai dipped back into his awareness of the domain. This time, he probed the tendrils that branched and feathered away from her. Just as Syl had said, there was one stronger than all the rest.

It pulsed with a light familiar to him, only it was intertwined with something new, something dark that somehow amplified the light of Alicias mana it contrasted with.

Following this new tether, he travelled out through the hidden grotto, past forest and babbling brook until he eventually found its end.

In an open prairie, there was a pit of darkness that branched to everything around it.

It crept along, so small it was hidden among the grass as it approached a cluster of rabbits.

Two other concentrated collections of mana that he didn't recognise showed two of those fox like Kitsuné spirit animals were close by watching what he thought was Gift.

"I located him… no idea how you could tell which direction or how far away he is."

Kai watched Gift pull on the domain as he formed what looked like a mana bolt.

"If I am not mistaken, he might be hunting the rabbits."

"Yes, that would be my assumption," Syl said.

"Yeah, he seems to be focused. He is ignoring my calls," Alicia pouted.

"He may be looking for his first form," Thanric said as he summoned a box from his storage. "Atheos explained how Gift should be able to gain multiple forms. I dug out some interesting samples for him to take on."

"Gift can take on multiple forms?" Alicia asked.

"At first Atheos wasn't certain, but she went to great lengths to find a living prime polymorph. Gift should be able to do some interesting things. Taking on the form of these extinct animals, the least of it."

Arnella sighed, "trust The Sage to find a way to bring back the dead, if only if it was to study it."

Thanric cleared his throat, but chose to say nothing.

"Ah, I think he is done," Syl said, as she waved her hand.

There was a thud as a rather confused black kitsuné with golden eyes and white tips on its tail and ears appeared.

"What's this!" Gift said as his head flicked about, looking from one person to the next.

Kai was surprised, Gift actually spoke, his jaw opened, and he made sounds that didn't quite match was hearing, Kai clearly understanding what the black little fur ball was communicating.

"Alicia was worried. So I brought you back once you had completed your hunt," Syl said, without missing a beat.

"But my prey!" Gift whined.

"Oh, you want it? This form that you have now is far superior to any horned rabbit. kitsuné are revered while horned rabbits are seen as more of a nuisance."

"Yes nuisance, I hunt… what was it… parents proud and-" Gift paused as he hopped up to the nest to sit by the two eggs, one of his two tails pressing up against each of them. "Give prize to siblings so they consume and grow strong."

"Gift, the eggs. We have no idea when they will hatch. They won't be able to eat your prize," Syl said.

Gift shook his head back and forth, "I no say eat, I say consume. Siblings say home is good, lots of power, rich in energy. But they crave more… flavour. so I hunt. Look for something that would not harm the balance of home. Find kits, rude, make challenge, I succeed, want prize."

Alicia put her hands on her hips and looked down on Gift.

"Please?" Gift asked, looking a little cowed by Alicia's.

"Wait, Gift, are you saying you can communicate with the eggs?" Kai asked.

Gift bounced on his front paws, "Yes father, they communicate, yes, yes. Impressions, feelings, not words. But they communicate. Prize? Please… I prove it."

Father, did Gift just call him Father? Kai looked about to check with the others to see if he was imagining it. But no one was showing any reaction.

Alicia turned to Syl, "Gift is certain."

Syl looked over at Kai. "You want to give it a try. Just locate what you want and focus on wanting it to bring it here."

Kai nodded and closed his eyes to focus.

He found the location easily. The two Kitsuné seemed to be heading back into the area, spread out as if they were looking for something. Or, more accurately, like they were approaching a target in a pincer movement. Almost as if they were practising a hunt.

The only issue was their target was Gift's prize.

Kai focused on the horned rabbit's corpse. Syl said it was just a matter of wanting to bring it here, so, just like almost everything else he did with mana, he used his intent.

Thump, the horned rabbit's dead weight, plopped down in front of him.

"Thank you, father Kai," Gift keened as he dropped down to inspect the rabbit.

"Gift? Why are you calling me father?"

"Because you are father," Gift said, as he looked up from the rabbit to point a little horn that was sprouting from between his ears at Syl, "mother Syl," then to Alicia, "Best mother Alicia."

Kai remembered the joke Syl had made when Gift was made. Apparently Gift had taken it to heart.

"You're not wrong, there is a part of all of us in you," Syl said, reinforcing the concept.

Thanric coughed, stepping forward with his box, "Gift, I ha-"

Gift backed off a little, "don't know you," he sniffed. "Familiar smell, but new."

Thanric coughed again as he opened the box and presented it to the little black ball of fur, "Gift, I brought you some gifts…"

"Not now, give prize to siblings-" Gift tugged at the rabbit that was a good four or five times bigger than him, somehow the little guy that was a no bigger than the average house cat lifted the rabbit easily as he jumped up and dropped the corpse beside the two eggs.

Gift hummed happily.

Everyone else just watched and waited to see what Gift meant by consume.

It didn't take long as the colourful patterns within the clear eggs that once moved sedately shifted and moved at a faster pace. The rabbit shifting and falling further into the nest as it disintegrated into particles that drifted off to circle the eggs before they passed through the shell and started to dance with the colours as they were slowly absorbed.

"Well, I didn't know that was even possible," Syl said, as she tapped her lips in thought.

"I don't think it is. I've known nesting dragons. These eggs, they're different," Thanric said thoughtfully.

"Rabbits, not real rabbit, siblings absorbed the essence, every little bit of it."

"Should we get more?" Kai asked.

Gift shook his head, "too much will make them sick, they content for now. They will let them know when to hunt," he said, showing a toothy grin. "Are you proud of me?"

Alicia surged forward and pulled Gift into her arms.

From there, things only descended into chaos.

Thanric was desperate to have Gift change into one of his gifts, take on the form of one of his extinct animals.

Kai decided to give everyone some space, Gift had gone through a dramatic change and he was tempted to see how the little guy liked belly rubs. But with the way Gift was being crowded, he would have to wait.

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