Way of the Knights

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"What did you say?"

Everyone was startled when they heard him. Maddock raised his brow and Jackson asked Raven to repeat himself.

"I said, I think Hopper wants to meet you." Raven re-phrased his sentence into a simpler one. But this only made them even more confused.

"How can you say so?" Chief Director Maddock asked in an amused tone. Raven smiled and pointed at the black panther.

"Look." Everyone followed where he was pointing, "He's staring at you."

"It's true!" One random student suddenly blurted out. Everyone could see clearly that Hopper really staring at Jackson.

"What does it want with me? Does it want to attack me?" Jackson was still confused, it seems like he had forgotten about his seniority to Raven or simply didn't care at all.

"I don't think he wants to attack you. If he really does, then he should be glaring at you and clawing the glass panel, but look! He is just 'pawing' the glass and staring at you." Raven stated.

His classmates looked at him weirdly. They were finding it hard to understand how could someone like him know about this, even Maddock was shocked about the boy's attentiveness. Hopper just rammed his head in the glass panels twice and he could already tell what he wants? Not even him could do that?

Suddenly, Raven stepped forward and crouched in front of the beast. Everyone was startled but since they knew that the glass panels were strong, they he will be safe. Raven smiled and talked with the beast.

"Hey buddy." His voice were loud enough for everyone to hear. Hopper groaned in response. "Feeling a little bit antsy are you?"

Raven placed his hand on the glass panel, Hopper's response was to rub it's head to where his hand was. Everyone was dumbfounded, they all thought: 'Is this for real!? This dude can talk with demonic beasts! What sorcery is this!?'

"You looking for him right?" Raven pointed at Jackson who were stunned in place, watching the spectacle unfold. And to answer everyone's doubts, the black panther stared at Jackson for a second before nodding.

'Holy shit! It really is looking for him!' This is what everyone was thinking at this moment, well except for couple of people like Raven, Jackson and Old Lee.

"Let's go meet him! Ah! It would be safe if only me, Sir Jackson and Chief Maddock, along with some guards, will go. Come!"

Raven didn't even asked for the permission of the director and pulled the still confused Jackson with him. Maddock could only chuckle as he wave his hand and followed the two. Raven smiled at the panther and pointed at the door, Hopper quickly ran towards it, his tail was waving, signifying his excitement.

As the three, along with some guards, entered the den of the Black Panthers, the rest outside was watching them closely. This is undoubtedly a very rare scene to happen, they want this to be committed in their memories.

There's at least three metal doors that they have to go through first before they could even enter the place. As the director was with them, their passage went completely smooth. Then as the last door opened, everyone became shocked from what happened next.

Hopper suddenly pounced on Raven, the guards were about to move when Raven raised his hand and instead opened his arms wide open to welcome the problem child.

"Hahahaha…" Raven laughed as he was being smothered by Hopper. He was showered with licks all over his face and a warm embrace of the beast.

Everyone was gobsmacked. The fact that Hopper was literally a real deal Demonic Beast, the kind that attacks their kingdom over and over again, was completely forgotten at this point. What they're seeing right now is just a sweet and friendly furry that likes giving kisses and hugs.

Raven placed Hopper down and calmed him, he then wiped the saliva off of his face and the one's who followed him here. He then said:

"Sir Jackson, here. Please sit with us." Raven gestured to his side, Jackson could only smiled wryly and follow his instructions. "Alright Hopper, do your thing."

The Black Panther groaned and looked at Jackson straight in the eyes. The man was suddenly startled and also found himself unable to extricate himself from the beast's gaze. Maddock found himself sitting beside Raven as well, feeling a bit perplexed at the spectacle before him.

"Young friend, would mind explaining what's currently happening? This would truly help us broaden our horizons…" His voice was mild and humble.

"Sure." Raven nodded and started explaining. "I'm sure that Chief already noticed but I'll still point it out. Hopper is not a normal Black Panther." His voice was loud and could be heard even by the ones who were outside of the den.

Maddock nodded, although it was a mystery to him as to why, he knew that something's different from the young panther.

"It is because he unlocked a part of his ancestral memories." While the majority was clueless about what he said, the ones who were aware of what he meant was reeling in shock.

"Is this true young friend?" Maddock asked, wanting to make sure that he heard him properly.

"My name is Raven, Chief Maddock. And yes, I believe so." Raven confidently said.

"The thing that always fascinated me about beasts is that their adaptability to a cruel environment. In my search of knowledge about them, I encountered a document that specifically discussed about some certain beasts inheriting the memories of their ancestors. Though there aren't much proof to support it, I have always thought that it is highly possible that this document is true. I cannot believe that I will encounter something like this today!" The Chief said emotionally.

"But I'm confused about one thing young friend Raven." The Chief looked at Raven and said: "If Hopper truly inherited the memories of his ancestors, then why didn't he become the leader of this pack? According to the document, the beasts could tell who amongst their brethren unlocked their ancestral memories."

"That's why I said it's only a part of his ancestral memories were unlocked." Raven explained, "Hopper is too young, his body might not be able to support all of the information from the memories. The part that he awakened might contain some of the memories outside of the kingdom and some instinctual talents. That's why he always wanted to go outside. The reason why he's looking for Sir Jackson is because he could smell his scent, more specifically, the scent of the outside." Raven pointed out Jackson's boots.

Apparently, Jackson was still wearing the same boots that he always wore whenever he travels.

"I see…" Maddock's eyes were shining, "So since Hopper unlocked a part of his ancestral memories and learned some instinctual talents, his senses were cut apart from the pack. Hopper was able to tell informations just by smelling. And because Sir Jackson here is a Lair Hunting Knight, Hopper caught his scent and want to meet him! Come to think of it, for the past week, we have some people who had the same work as Sir Jackson and each time, Hopper went ballistic. So that's what's going on!"

'As expected. This dude truly has a calculative mind. Give him one clue and he will figure out the rest. What a monster.'

"Speaking of which, there was this one time that Hopper had the same agitation but in a different manner." Raven raised his brow and paid attention to the directors following words. "Well, he was still active at that point but it looked like Hopper was…mad? I don't know how to explain it. He was roaring at that guest multiple times that the poor fellow was frightened. What's more is that, the fellow didn't even look remotely scary or sketchy. That visitor was just an attendant of some noble." Maddock mumbled to himself.

Raven's expression turned somber. He then chuckled coldly and whispered: "Well, well. Their filthy hands managed to get here?"

Even though his voice was quiet, it was enough for the director to hear. And true to his nature as a genius, he practically discovered what Raven was trying to say here. His expression became a bit ugly yet he hid it instead. Good thing that the last part conversation was only between the two of them, Maddock snorted deep down and said: 'How daring!'

Their thoughts were broken when Jackson suddenly woken up from his daze. Hopper groaned at him and for the first time, Jackson felt like he could understand what he was trying to tell him. Checking if his thoughts were correct, he lifted his arms and placed it horizontally in front of Hopper.

Hopper then nodded and bit Jackson's arm. As the panther drank his blood, Jackson felt that something deep in his soul was formed. As he stared at Hopper, he was stunned to realize that he could totally understand what Hopper was trying to tell him. It was some sort of a telepathic link. Then the link was formed, two companions are now joined.

"Congratulations Sir Jackson.. You and Hopper just established a Life Companion Pact."