Clan Green Bear: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  Drako caught the strange object. It was unexpectedly cold, hard and shiny. He opened the door, held it up to the light, and smiled. ‘This is glass! You made this from that sand?’

  ‘Yes. I guess we’d need fine white sand to make properly clear glass though. That has a distinct yellow tint to it but I’m sure it would do the job. Would that be ok with you?’

  ‘Yes. Any glass would be a big improvement. You know how to do it?’ Drako asked sensing Jim seemed rather tentative.

  ‘No! I mean it is simple enough to heat the sand to melt it. Turning a blob into a big flat sheet without bubbles and of an even thickness is going to take some experimentation. Jasper gave me a recipe and some stuff from the stores that we need to mix with the sand, but I’ve never done this before and no-one really knows what the book means.’

  ‘I see,’ Drako said with a small smile. ‘I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out. What do you need?’

  ‘Well, there weren’t any instructions on how to form a sheet so I’m guessing here. Perhaps we should use the window frame itself as a mould to make the glass the right size. We’ll also need something smooth and flat like a metal sheet to pour the molten glass onto evenly,’ Jim mused.

  ‘I don’t think we’ve got anything metal. What about stone? The mason has many huge slabs that could be sanded smooth,’ Drako suggested.

  ‘That’s a thought. But wouldn’t it stick to stone?’

  ‘Maybe we could oil the stone first?’ Drako suggested.

  Jim opened one of the lounge window shutters and magically asked the empty wooden frame to come loose and leave its stone bed. He handled the frame carefully afraid of twisting or buckling it so it would not fit back in. He then refastened the shutters to retain the meagre warmth and armed with frame and buckets between them, they walked down to the stonemason.

  They had to persuade the mason to give up a wide, partially worked slab. Coating the surface in oil was likely to stain it, ruining a very nice piece of stone in terms of building with it. Grudgingly granted it, Jim moved it, magically, to an out of the way corner. He smoothed the stone further, ensuring it was truly level horizontally and as free from flaws as he could make it. Drako had gone to get oil while Jim smoothed the surface and now poured the oil on sparingly, coating the slab evenly.

  ‘It’s soaking in. Do you think that will matter?’ Drako asked anxiously.

  ‘Only one way to find out,’ Jim shrugged. He laid the frame on the slab. ‘This might burn,’ he mused. He picked it up, took it outside, and put it in the snow. The wood darkened as it got wet and icy. ‘That should help,’ he said, bringing it back inside and placing it onto the slab. He measured out some of Jasper’s dust and mixed it into the sand. Then he concentrated on the metal pail, magically heating the sand quickly. The whole pail’s contents were soon glowing and liquid. Without further ado, he awkwardly and gingerly tipped the molten glass into the frame’s mould starting at one corner and moving quickly. He had to help by magically directing more heat to places where it had cooled too quickly to spread evenly. The frame hissed and steamed but luckily it did not burn. The icy slab and icy frame cooled the molten glass very swiftly. He had to keep warming the glass to get it to an even thickness.

  ‘That looks like a pane of glass to me,’ Drako said with a grin.

  ‘Better let it cool properly. We’ll need some battens to hold the glass in the frame,’ Jim added critically.

  ‘I’ll get some wood,’ Drako said.

  ‘Ok, I’ll get another window frame,’ Jim offered. They strode out quickly. Drako was exceedingly keen to get the pane of glass fitted as soon as they could.

  Word had clearly spread because there was quite a crowd in the mason’s workshop when Jim and Drako returned. They all wanted a look when Jim gingerly lifted the glass free from the stone and turned it up to the light to see how it had turned out. There were many appreciative comments. Drako arrived with the battens and secured the glass in its frame.

  ‘Come on, let’s get this fitted,’ Drako said to Jim quickly, his eyes sparkling. ‘I want to see how it looks.’

  Jim laughed at his enthusiasm and they gingerly carried the surprisingly heavy window between them up the icy lane to the house. Jim opened the shutters, pinning them back while Drako took the glass inside. Drako lifted the heavy glass into place while Jim helped steady it from the outside. Drako hammered in the pegs re-securing the frame inside the casement then stood back to admire the effect. Jim joined him inside and they shared a congratulatory grin. The glass did indeed have a distinct yellow tint and was a bit wavy, but the tiny bubbles in a few places were not very noticeable.

  ‘Not bad for your first go,’ Drako said lightly. ‘Thank you Jim.’ The difference even this one pane of glass made, enabling a shutter to be open so light poured into the room in a warm sunny glow, was amazing.

  ‘I think we’ve time to get one more done before lunch,’ Jim said.

  ‘Only one?’ Drako asked thinking they could do more than that; they had the frames out of the walls and now knew what to do.

  ‘Only one,’ Jim confirmed. ‘That’s all I’ve strength for just at the minute.’

  ‘What can I do?’ Drako asked quickly and took the frame Jim was carrying.

  ‘I’ll be fine. But perhaps we could do some of the melting over the fire?’ Jim suggested. ‘That’s how it’s normally done. There’s no reason your people couldn’t make their windows themselves actually,’ he added, thinking about it. ‘Now we’ve worked out what to do.’

  ‘You think that would work?’ Drako asked dubiously.

  ‘I can’t do everything,’ Jim admitted quietly. ‘But I do know glass making can be done without magic. In fact, wizards never normally do this kind of thing. Maybe you could ask for a volunteer to learn and set up a new trade as a glassmaker. Glazing the whole village will be a big job and take a lot of time. A glassmaker could turn out domestic glassware too, I imagine. That is also readily saleable stuff. I have architectural plans for a limekiln in my office, which is one of the other main ingredients; the rest we can trade for. Can I leave it with you to find out if anyone wants to give it a try as a glassmaker?’

  ‘Certainly. Bruce might be the best person to oversee it in the meantime,’ Drako mused. ‘As a blacksmith he’s the only one used to handling molten material.’ Jim nodded, his attention remaining on his footing through the snow and ice. ‘It’ll be nice to actually build some of the things in my house, even if it is just the finishing touches,’ Drako said slowly. Other people had designed and built everything, bar furniture. Not that he was complaining; he loved the styles chosen for him, but this was an opportunity he was not about to miss.

  Drako was impressed with how different the room looked, now with a second source of warm yellowy light. He was almost reluctant to leave his home and go up to the school for lunch. However, he and Jim could do with the break and needed the food to refuel them.

  ‘What have you been up to this morning?’ Amelie asked, feeling how drained Jim was.

  ‘We've been making windows. We got two made and fitted,’ Jim told her, happy with the achievement.

  ‘I’d like to see how your house looks with glass, Drako,’ Amelie said warmly, but aware Jim had been overdoing it. ‘Shall we take a team down?’

  ‘No. We’re going to work out how the villagers can make their windows themselves,’ Jim told her. ‘We’ve got the blacksmith making a better and safer cauldron and figuring out a way to heat it and transfer it while it’s still hot. He’s the only one with the experience to handle molten stuff safely.’

  ‘Good. Now eat love, you’re a shadow of your usual self,’ Amelie chided in exasperation. After lunch, she went down with them and admired the two windows they had achieved. She was mostly aware however, that the house still felt very cold, draughty and damp. She hoped that glazing it would aid the fire in drying the place quickly enough so Drako would not get sick.

  Later that afternoon, they stood back to admire
a house fully glazed with honey coloured glass. The glass was rather thick and wavy, but you could see out clearly enough and the difference it made in terms of draughts and light was marked. Drako was delighted. Word had already spread and many of his people had come up to have a look at his windows. They would now be able to make their own under the guidance of the capable smith, certainly, until someone volunteered to take over the trade. As with their house, all they needed to do was collect the ingredients and make window frames that fitted their particular house. Some people would simply task the smith with making them in exchange for goods. However they did it, Jim had again shown them how to help themselves.

  Drako noticed Jim eye the snowy plots set aside for the hunters on the way back. Already assembled in readiness were several large neat stacks of stone and brick. He knew Jim would help when the time was right, but he was also aware Amelie was watching Jim with a concerned frown. He was taking too much on himself. Everyone could see it, but he was too damn useful and selfless. He stepped in without fuss too easily and did more than strictly necessary. Drako wondered about the shimmering. Usually only an animus did that when they were about to change shape, but Jim was a wizard and not once did his form alter. He pondered the mystery as they walked up the drive to the school for dinner but no answers came to him.

  4. Unexpected Changes

  Amelie noticed a sudden shimmer surround Jim’s body. He shook his head sharply, breathed in deeply and the shimmer stopped, leaving him as he always was.

  ‘Are you alright?’

  ‘Yes, felt a little strange a moment ago, but it’s nothing. Come on, we need to concentrate on getting this wall built.’

  She turned her attention to the task in hand, helping build Freddie’s cottage. They were having to do this partly by hand since there were only the two of them and they lacked the strength of a whole team of wizards.

  Jim had noticed irritation from Vako in particular, but also some of the students, at having their lessons interrupted so often to do building works. As it happened, there was no rush for these last few cottages and they ought to be easier to build anyway than the bigger home and workshop combinations.

  Amelie kept a discreet watch over Jim. Several times during the day, he shook his head sharply giving the impression something was irritating or distracting him. ‘That’s enough for today,’ Amelie announced.

  ‘Why?’ Jim asked puzzled. ‘There’s plenty of daylight left.’

  ‘Jim you need a break. Something’s clearly bothering you.’

  ‘I don’t need a break,’ Jim objected feeling irritable all of a sudden. ‘Stop telling me what to do,’ he snapped and glared at her aggressively. He blinked, shook his head again, and walked away.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Drako asked her, going to her side to speak more privately.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Amelie said slowly, seeing Jim turn back quickly, his eyes on Drako.

  Drako noticed the aggression in Jim’s attitude and even thought he heard Jim give a low growl that did not sound at all human. He backed off quickly and watched Jim wrap an arm around Amelie and pull her away, glaring at all the men present. ‘Amelie, has he ever changed before?’

  ‘Changed? What, form, like us, you mean? No. But I did see him shimmer earlier.’

  ‘I am not animus,’ Jim said. Even to him his voice sounded lower and more gravelly than normal.

  ‘Maybe you are now a bit like me,’ Amelie suggested. ‘Maybe you have an animal that wants to come out.’

  ‘No! I’m not animus. I’m a wizard; I wouldn’t be able to change fully. I will not become a monster, some unnatural partial thing.’

  ‘You wouldn’t,’ she reassured. ‘Stop pacing and sit down,’ she coaxed, sitting on some bricks clear of the snowy grass and taking his hand. He crouched beside her and eyed the men sitting nearby. ‘Look at me,’ she commanded. Eyes that had become gold rather than blue met hers. ‘Close your eyes and relax. Let me help you figure out what’s happening,’ she said softly and began stroking his hair.

  ‘Ok, but stay out of my head. I will not risk pulling you in here too,’ he said seriously and stared at her until she promised. He sat still, breathing deeply and trying to calm himself, but his body felt as though it was burning and he could not get comfortable. ‘So you think I might be animus?’

  ‘Yes love. Look at your hands, but you haven’t changed fully. You’re fighting it. What is your creature? Tell me and I will change into it and help guide you,’ she urged.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Jim cried. ‘Look at me; I’m deformed.’

  ‘Let me in your mind,’ she urged. ‘Let me see if I can find him. You’re not deformed. You’re simply half changed.’

  ‘No! I’ll drag you in and you’ll be lost,’ Jim cried and jumped away from her. He winced as he tried to drag off his shirt to see what was happening to his body. He realised he had scratched himself. He stared at arms covered in tawny fur and ended in big heavy paws. He flexed his paws and needle sharp claws appeared. He tried to take off his very uncomfortable boots but couldn’t without hands.

  ‘Let me help you,’ Amelie said and big golden eyes stared at her. He shimmered again, which left him writhing in pain on the ground. She got the boots off that seemed to be causing him the most discomfort and stared at the furry leg and paw protruding from his trouser leg. The rest of his body however was still stubbornly human and the mismatch of limbs and the uneven interior flow of veins and blood were likely to be what was causing his pain. ‘Change, all of you,’ she called to the others suddenly. ‘He needs to find his shape and visualise it.’

  ‘I told you I was no good at remembering details,’ Jim gasped to her.

  ‘You hang in there,’ she told him. ‘Look at the others. Do any of their shapes call to you?’ She watched him closely and knew none did. She considered his paws; they felt feline. She shucked out of her clothes and changed into her panther. She could feel more interest in him. Waves of power were radiating from him. His pale tawny fur was similar to his unruly head of hair. Whatever his animal was, it was not at all small. Those legs and paws were big and powerful. She changed into a leopard and watched him take more note but he still did not alter. She tried a lynx and then a cougar, before it hit her and she became a lioness. He made a small strange strangled sound and shimmered again, his golden eyes fixed on her.

  In Jim’s place sat a big majestic lion, looking around and down at his body utterly bemused. Amelie went to him and momentarily changed a paw to a hand to unbutton his trousers, letting him climb out of them.

  Now without uncomfortably constraining clothes he stood on four feet, feeling far better than he would have thought possible. ‘Do I look right?’ he asked her nervously.

  She prowled all the way around him. ‘You’ll do nicely,’ she told him and licked his muzzle. His unruly hair had transformed into a full fluffy mane.

  ‘No vanity in you then,’ Drako the bear commented to the lion.

  ‘I didn’t know what wanted to come out,’ Jim objected. ‘But I’m happy enough with this,’ he added lightly.

  Drako snorted his amusement. ‘We’ve all known there was another side to you sitting in the background. Now we know what it is: a lion of all things. You should know that now he’s seen the light of day, I doubt he’ll want to stay in the background much,’ he warned. ‘Now go play; you need to learn your shape’s abilities.’ The lion glared at him, disliking being told what to do, even by Drako’s huge black bear. Amelie’s lioness rubbed her head against his and instantly diverted he turned to follow her. Drako watched the lion nip at her smaller lioness and she began running, he following, until they were both chasing each other at high speed across the snowy meadow, springing and leaping with great exuberance around each other. She reared up growling and snapping and he copied her, his greater strength and weight pushing the lioness back. She fell back limply onto her back exposing her belly in a submissive posture that his lion recognised. He began licking her throat fur gently whil
e she lay back watching him. Then her belly rumbled and she sat up.

  ‘We need to eat, my love,’ she suggested.

  ‘Yes. I’ve never felt so hungry in my life. Is this how it always is for you?’ he asked as they walked back to where Drako the bear sat in the snow beside his warriors, all in their wolf form.

  ‘Pretty much. I had to go through a few animals to find yours but at least changing from one cat to another isn’t as strenuous as changing from a cat to something else; it’s not a complete reconfiguration. Changing from a horse or any herbivore to a carnivore is bad, but changing to a bird is the worst. How are you feeling?’

  ‘Strong. How do you think this happened?’

  ‘You said that wizard Tobias told you there could be side effects to leaching power from other wizards. I have the animus ability and you’ve merged with several pure animus people too. Maybe that is what’s given you the lion? I’ve felt this other hidden side of you since we first truly shared our minds. It has been steadily growing stronger for months and making you stronger too. Maybe that is why you’ve been physically growing as well. Animus people tend to be very tall.’

  ‘I’m not developing a split personality am I?’ Jim wondered anxiously.

  ‘I wouldn’t have thought so. If anything, this would settle your personality. Everyone has a strong and a weak side. You’ve always been able to recognise what people are. You’ve obviously been told that’s all you’re good at, and it has been holding you back. I think your lion has come out because you’ve accepted the challenge of leadership. He is forcing you to acknowledge your inner strength. You keep halting, doubting your own ability, when we all know you can do it.’

  ‘But does this mean I am only animus now? I’m not a wizard?’ Jim asked suddenly.

  ‘I doubt it,’ Amelie said and glanced sideways at the five animus men silently keeping pace with them. ‘Try a spell,’ she suggested.

  Jim turned to eye the building site they had just left. He did not have hands to gesture with, but he could use a paw he supposed. They had stopped earlier than planned and there was a made up pail of mortar still there. He closed his eyes, concentrating on visualising precisely and gestured.