What are we learning today master?" A very young female dwarf said. She was wearing a set of trousers and over-shirt with suspenders, and very much looked like a boy. Her scratchy voice did not help her position, but her hair was braided into pigtails that framed her face well.
"Today, I have a task for you, you must be quick and quiet, and must not be caught doing it, alright?" The old hin said, his voice still light and soft, jovial even. His dirty brown robes were stained, probably from alchemical reagents, which he produced for the city.
"You must head into the town and find an animal which has died. I know I know, it is a sad affair, but I would like you to get that animal, and bring it, and I will show you how to bring it back!"
The girls eyes grew wide at the prospect, to bring back an animal to life was only something a powerful cleric could do, but here, her master, spoke of doing it themselves.
"Take this bag, and remember you must not be seen doing this. Choose something small, alright?"
She nodded, taking the bag and running out, even forgetting to shut her master's door on the way. His chuckle was barely heard as she ran down the alleyways into the larger part of the city. His home was actually carved into the side of the hills, like many of the older homes, and it was much larger then its neighbors. Still, it fit snugly in the alleyway it was placed, and if you weren't looking for it, you may not even realize it was there.
The girl knew of course how to find it again. She knew the city well, even in her young age. She traveled its streets, looking about, though trying to be inconspicuous. It took her well over two hours to find a dead rat in an alley, killed by a cat. It was partially eaten, the cat probably hunting more for sport then for food. The girl looked about, waiting patiently for people to pass by the alley on their business, before snatching the rat up in her bag, and running back to her master's home.
"You're back! Good good. Ah, that poor rat. A bit small, but a good start for training. Now put the rat in the center of this circle I made. Its made of finely ground salt. Its an important part of the ritual. Holds in the spirit. Now, look at the four things we have. A feather, a candle, a bowl of blood, and a bone. These are very important. They're called focuses. Good good, now, breath on the feather, feel your breath move it, yes? Take this flint now, strike it quick and light the candle. Good! Very good. Take a finger, your index, Yes yes, that one, and dip it into the blood bowl. Yes, I know its still warm. And then take your finger and make this mark, just like this on the bone. Ohh, very good! and repeat after me."
The small child repeated after her master, trying her best to correctly say the strange, rather crude sounding words that left his lips. As she repeated, the candle began to burn blue, the feather lifted itself up, the blood began to boil, and the bone cracked at the site of the marking.
Her voice rose in excitement, wondering what exactly the words meant, but also, what would happen to the rat. Her energy seemed to fuel the reaction, the feather catching on fire and burning, the blood sizzling away, the candle burning down so quickly it was not but a stump, and the bone cracking and turning to dust. And just as soon as it started, her master stopped speaking, and the ritual, whatever it was, was finished. The focuses were used, and the rat limply laid on its side, its little ribs still showing, blood dripping on the stone floor from its wound.
She looked to her master, disappointed in herself, but he smiled and nodded towards the rat. She looked and gasped lightly, watching its tail begin to swish and move, its nose twitching, and its jaw open and close, snapping lightly.
Her master explained as carefully as he could, that they had breathed life back into the rat, but that it was not alive again. It was gifted with undeath, a special gift, a second chance. The rat, while they talked, circled around its little salt surrounded prison, unable to cross the barrier.
"That rat, owes his new life to you, Annaka. He will listen and obey you, follow you until you need him no longer, and gladly return to dust should you command it."
With her master's encouragement, the girl reached out and patted the rat upon the head, feeling his fur under her touch. She smiled, and then, her master broke the salt circle, letting the rat free. It joyfully bounded towards the child, like a friendly pup, its wound having stopped its oozing. Her master explained part of the ritual was to preserve the body from rotting any further.
The girl played with the rat the rest of the evening, and when she was to return home, the rat stayed with her master. "Remember now." The old hin said, his voice soft, but a bit stern. "You cannot tell anyone about this, or your parents will never let you practice magic again, like they said. We must keep it a secret, just between us."
She nodded eagerly, and made her way home, excited for her next day with her new pet.
