The Witch's Son

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Salem watched as he moved, and followed him. When his friend sat down, he simply sat across from him and began to watch him intently. Was he trying to speak? It looked like it. It looked like he was trying to pronounce an s word. " Here, try pronouncing it slowly. Saaaaaleeeem. Just, uh, just match your mouth to mine. " Salem pointed to his jaw, and slowly said his name, till Belphegor may have gotten it right. Even so, he said it a few more times.

The feline looked so different. Almost handsome now. What, with his sculpted chin and his flawless features. Even his hands were beautiful! Unlike Salem's, which were torn and riddled with calluses and scars from past experiments and fights with creatures he should have avoided in the first place. Belphegor's hands were so creamy looking, he almost wanted to take them and inspect them, to make sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.
 
So much for trying to do it alone. But then it didn't work all that well alone, did it? So Belphegor watched the mouth and jaw of his friend carefully, trying to imitate the movements. Until today it never occurred to him that speaking a word had so many components. It just seemed so effortless when Salem did it. Besides, he didn't see his own mouth, so it wasn't as easy to make the same shape with it. And when he thought he did, he blew out the air at the wrong time. But he was getting there. At least, out of the two of them, Salem had the shorter and easier-sounding name. He was vaguely grateful for the fact that he would rarely ever have to use his own.
Finally he got it almost right, enough so to be able to repeat it a few times, for practice, and each time it sounded a little less forced. He was quite pleased with himself, he even wanted to purr, which came out like a content sigh; then he leant forward and rubbed his forehead against Salem's cheek, as a way of thanking him for his help.
He just hoped he wouldn't have to spend this long learning to pronounce every word.
 
Salem didn't know how he should tell him that human's didn't do that to express a feeling. Oh gosh, the things he would have to teach him. How would he ever get around to doing it? He was sure he knew some things, but... The rest, were probably a mystery to his new body. But, nonetheless, Salem was proud of him and he would show him that he was, simply by petting him on the head.

Oh, he would never get used to having a human in his house after years of living in the comfort of just a cat. He would have to get used to it sooner or later, but he just hoped that it was sooner. " Here, I'll go and get the deer ready. I promised a feast, right? Well, with you a human or not, we're eating like kings tonight. " Salem had a feeling that there wouldn't be leftovers if they both took the same amount of food.
 
Belphegor watched as his friend got up; at first he wanted to follow along, as he so often did, but since moving was more difficult now, he was forced to consider it for a moment, and decided to stay instead and try various words. Now that he could say one, maybe the rest would be easier, and besides he was impatient. In his imagination he already heard himself saying lots of long, long sentences, as easily as Salem did. He decided he would try "deer" next. Deer was a very good thing. In all the excitement he had almost forgotten how hungry he was. But Salem would probably not finish cooking all that much faster if he stood there.
It was true: it was easier now that he'd already tried the mechanics of speaking. It took a little experimenting to see how different sounds were made, but that was quite interesting. He started blowing out air and changing the shape of his mouth, making one sound turn into the other, then moving his tongue around to make different consonants (though he didn't know they were called consonants, of course). He didn't end up putting them together and saying any new words, it was too much fun finding as many sounds as he could, when the scent finally drew him in.
 
Salem had kept the deer meat outside that morning, so that way it would become slightly baked, and it would be nice and tender. Once he lugged it in, he let it settle in the pot and simply let the spices slowly add lovely flavors to the food. There was enough for both of them, and maybe a few scraps left for any birds that would come strolling through there.

Salem let it simmer for a while, and soon he added a few more spices to make the broth. Once the spices were in place, he added carrots and cucumbers, along with onions and potatoes. A number of food that came from the ground went into the stew, and the smell overthrew the entire house. It was marvelous, and it was almost ready!
 
Enticed by the scent, Belphegor finally halted his vocal experiments and got up to go inside. He could almost taste it already! Only as he thought of eating it did he remember that humans did that differently too. This was simultaneously annoying - why did everything have to be so different? - and a relief too, because his face was flatter now while his nose jutted forward above his mouth, and with this configuration it seemed next to impossible to properly lap up anything without getting it into his nostrils. Ah, so be it. He just hoped it wouldn't taste different for a human mouth. That would be a pity.
As he went in, he passed a small pile of books and remembered something. Books seemed to be a very important source of knowledge to Salem. He wondered if he could also read now. Was that something only Salem did, or did that come with the human body? He wanted, wanted, wanted to know what was in all of them! He stopped beside the pile and flipped the top one open. It didn't look much different to him now than it did while he was a cat. He will have to ask about that later. But then he remembered he could already do that now... well, a little bit. He gripped the book in both hands and lifted it.
"Sssa-lem?"
It was even quite recognizable, really.
 
Salem smiled when he saw his friend holding up a book. Did he want to know about that? Oh, that was remarkable! How long as he known about books? Has he always learned? Well, DUH! He understood what Salem was saying, why didn't he know about books? " Oh, that? It's one of the potion books I was reading! " He said, as he took a step forward and took the book in his own hands. It was my mothers. "

Salem gave the book back, and looked at his friend. " Do you want to read it? I've seen the way you've watched me when I make the potions and when I cast spells. Do you want me to teach you some magics? " Oh, he always wanted an apprentice of his own! Who else but his best friend? It would be wonderful! He could teach him, almost like he was a father!
 
Belphegor's green eyes lit up immediately. He nodded enthusiastically, his hair flying about his face. He couldn't think of anything he wanted more! He was going to learn so much and be the very best witch ever! Well, after Salem, of course. This was so exciting! He took hold of the book again as carefully as he could, because he didn't quite trust his own grip yet; that meant he gripped it so tight that his fingers went white, even though it wasn't so heavy. There was no way he could drop something so important as this. He felt as if a door had just opened, and he was looking out through it at a wonderful landscape he was going to discover - better yet, Salem was going to show it to him, and he distinctly felt that every wonder was twice as wonderful when seen together. He laid the book down, pausing a moment to stroke its cover. He couldn't wait.
And then his stomach rumbled.
 
Salem smiled all too big when he saw how happy the man was about learning. Good lord, why didn't he teach him some of the basics befor? Well... Maybe because he was a cat, after all. Oh, Salem would have started right then and there, but the smell of the stew was all too appetizing. " Oh, are you hungry? I think the deer is almost done. " Salem could almost taste it now, and boy it was good.

He took ahold of Belphegor's hand and drew him near the kitchen. " Come, come. I'll get the bowels, you can sit down. " He let go of his hands once he entered the small kitchen, and once in, he took out two bowls and spoons. He was happy that it was soup that they were eating, because he really wasn't looking forward to teaching him how to chew his food.
 
Belphegor sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and waited patiently for his portion. Well, as patiently as he could, at least. That had never been one of his strongest suites. Once he got his bowl he had to stop himself from trying to bend above it and lapping it up; but that was only a moment's forgetfulness, and he had already seen Salem use a spoon many times before, so he knew what to do. Well, almost. Sure enough, he grabbed it in his fist, and took the whole head of the spoon in his mouth. But what mattered was that the soup arrived into his mouth, and it was very good soup too. He ate like he was starving. Much to his relief, being human didn't make the food taste any worse.
Still, only part of his mind was on his meal. The other part was running forward in anticipation towards all the fascinating things to learn. And there was a third part too, a part that just really, really enjoyed that he could act a little bit like Salem now. Not that he wanted to be him... but now he experienced what it was like to do things Salem's way, and that just made him feel unexpectedly closer to him. It was a warm thought that the clothes he was wearing were really Salem's clothes. He almost made peace with them. Almost.
 
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" Careful, careful! If you eat like that, you'll drowned in the soup. " Salem said, with a chuckle. Was he really that hungry? If he was, he would have to make a mental note to hunt bigger game. Maybe a deer, if he was lucky, and a few squirrels. Salem ate his food, and did so a little more organized than his friend in the used clothing. Another mental note: Get better clothes. Pants without holes, shirts that can go through all of the seasons. Clothing like that, for Belphegor.

As soon as he was done, he stood up, and saw that there was enough for another bowl. Well, it was a grand day for his friend, so he would let him have it. Usually, when Salem was left with leftovers, he would split it with his companion. But, his companion had grew, and he could tell that one bowl wasn't enough. " Here, let me take your bowl. I'll give you an extra helping. I'll let you finish eating that, and then I'll go and set up some things. I'll teach you the basics tonight. "
 
Belphegor wanted to ask whether Salem wouldn't stay hungry if he gave him all the remaining food, but that was a long and complicated sentence he was sure he couldn't pronounce. Surely if he was hungrier than usual, that must be because he is bigger, so isn't Salem always this hungry then? It didn't immediately occur to him that it might be not only because of the size of his stomach but because he just grew to several times his own size. So, since there was no way he could ask all that, he wolfed down the second bowl with excellent appetite. No reason to let it get cold, and besides the sooner he is done the sooner they can get to the magic. But however fast he ate, he couldn't resist throwing a glance every now and then towards the other room.
This time, when he stood up, it was definitely easier to keep his balance. It was still new to him to be taller than he was long, but he adjusted fast, and as he left the kitchen, he didn't lean on the wall as heavily anymore, though he still kept one hand on it, just in case. Another thing that was new to him about being tall was that his head was so far from the floor, it took effort to look under his feet; he still felt that was an accident waiting to happen.
 
Salem was scouring the entire room for some simple things to start out with. A spell? A potion? His mother started him out with a potion, so he would start Belphegor out with something a little more advanced. Seeing that he had been watching, and he probably knew most- of not, all of the basics by now. How old was he? He couldn't have been older than Salem, unless cats age differently, and they show it in different forms. He would have to look into that, but if Salem was correct, he must have been his age. Give or take a few years.

" Come in once you're ready! " He said, as he placed a potion book on the stand.
 
Belphegor didn't wait to be asked twice. He followed after his friend as quickly as he could with his new physique. He saw Salem busying in the laboratory, and went up to him; for this he had to let go of the wall, and he managed to reach him without tripping. If he had still been a cat, he would have slunk up to him and rubbed against his leg; he was too big for that now, so he made do with stepping close beside him and nestling his face in his shoulder. This also worked to reassure himself that he wasn't going to stumble and knock over something delicate. Then he peered out curiously to see what they were going to do.
 
Salem felt someone come behind him, and he got chills. He would have to tell him sooner or later that it wasn't correct for someone- a human, to be doing that to another human, unless they were in a relationship. His mother, also being the wonderful witch she was, also took a fancy for romantic literature. Salem took a few books, and a few nights later, he knew a little too well about the birds and the bees.

Salem sighed. He would tell him this after the lesson. " Alright, I know you already know most of what I wanted to teach you, so I'll just go on and teach you some more advanced potions. Here, let's make a potion for... You know what? You can pick. It is your lesson. " Salem handed his friend the book, and smiled.
 
Belphegor took the book and looked at it, puzzled. Apparently Salem assumed that he could read, and although he was a clever cat... or rather, a clever youth (he would have admitted that himself), he had had no way to learn that. He tried to look more closely at the writing, and then from some other angles, to see if he could make heads or tails of it, but with no success: it may as well have been a pattern of ants marching. He held it out to Salem, looking at him with large entreating eyes, making a little plaintive sound in his throat, the same way he used to when he had a tick in him, or something stuck in his fur where he couldn't reach: surely Salem would tell him what was in the book, or how he had to look at it to interpret it.
 
Salem felt like a complete fool right then. Oh, he didn't even know how to dress himself properly, what made him think that he could read? Speaking was first, then eating, then walking then reading and writing. But, for now, Potions were great for training wheels. " Oh, uh, my apologies. " Salem said, with a chuckle.

" Here, I'll just explain what each one on the page means. " Salem had worked ahead in that book- it was for beginners. Each page had a few pages for instructions, so he folded down the first of every new potion, so he wouldn't have to waste time looking for it later. " This one is an invisibility potion, which turns you invisible for a few minutes. This one is a paralysis one, and I don't recommend drinking that particular one. This one is just for attraction, and.. Well, you know what that is. The birds and the bees and all. " Cats did know that, right? Well, he hoped they did.
 
Invisibility sounded useful to a limited extent, but that wouldn't make one undetectable to all the other senses; and Belphegor couldn't think of anyone he wanted to paralyze. But a potion to attract birds and bees? He had never heard of such a thing before, but it could be useful. They did need birds sometimes, and now that he was human in shape he wasn't sure he could still hunt so well, or at least not yet. So it could help to increase the odds until he learns to hunt again. He wasn't sure about the bees though. He had once caught one in his mouth, and it was a very memorable experience, he was never going to touch another one again. But bees were usually peaceable creatures unless he bothered them, so maybe it was safe. He just hoped the potion wouldn't attract wasps. Well, if it did, Salem would surely warn him. He nodded, wondering if later he would also learn about potions to attract bigger game.
 
Salem only guessed that Belphegor was nodding to the attraction potion. Oh, this was going to be hard. Maybe he could just make it, and not taste it? No, no... That wouldn't do. Tasting the potions was at least 90% of the experience. Oh, this was quite the predicament. He didn't want a person- something like an infant falling for him when he didn't know two things about love in the first place! Maybe they could both try it? Oh no, Salem didn't have the heart to tell him untruthful things of love, his mother often warned him of that. " If you are to marry, look with your heart. " Potions probably didn't count for anything.
 
Belphegor watched his friend's worried expression with some confusion. He could tell there was a problem, but not what the problem was. Did he misunderstand something? Was that just a really, really difficult potion to make? Did it need something they couldn't get? Did it actually attract wasps too? Or maybe did Salem think he meant the paralysis one? He took a deep breath and tried to speak again. It wasn't flawless, but it was understandable, and that was what mattered.
"Is it bad?"
 
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