The turtle's apprentice

The Turtle looked around his laboratory. He seemed to have forgotten what he was doing. "O, well" he though. "It will come to me." He walked over to his supplies cabinet and checked to see if all was in order. He did this thoroughly; making sure everything was at its proper place and in stock. There is a common misconception that turtles are slow, this was not the chase. Turtles were not slow but thorough; making sure it is done properly so that there is no need to redo things that are already done once.

Yes all seemed to be in order, only one thing was...

"Turtle!" someone cried from the hall way, "Master Turtle where are... O there you are." His young apprentice, Badger, walked into the room carrying a tea tray.

"It's tea time!" Badger announced with a smile putting the tray on the workbench.

"O, really?" Turtle asked. "I seemed to have lost my sense of time." He said looking up at the clock on the wall.

Badger grind, "Don't worry, sir, I am sure you'll find it again." Badger pulled out a chair for the Turtle before sitting down on a work stool.

Turtle walked over and sat himself down. "I see that Miss. March made pond cake." He commended as he took one of the two cups on the tray.

"I would not try it if I were you sir." Badger warned. "I saw her putting almost two ponds of flower in the mixing bowl." Badger reached over and took the other cup. "I think she's distracted"

Turtle took a sip of his tea before speaking. "Of course she is. Her son sighed up for... for... what was it again? That umm that thing?"

"What thing?" Badger looked over his cup at the Turtle

"That thing" Turtle made a gusher with his hand.

"O that thing!" Badger nodded. "Well, of course she would be"

Badger had no idea what the thing was. Turtle smiled. He liked that about his apprentice. Badger was not the type of person who would ask too many questions when you could simply find out for yourself later. Turtle look over his laboratory. He looked at the class cabinet where his supplies were kept, at the book self where his notes were kept, at the window that looked out into the back garden, at other shelf where some of his instruments were kept and at the work bench where they were sitting now.

"This work bench" the Turtle began, "This work bench, did you know, is in equal relation between everything that is in this room."

Badger look at him before taking another sip of tea.

The Turtle continued; "It is equal relation between the window and the door. It is in equal relation between the cabinet and the bookshelf and it is in equal relation between all these things."

Turtle took a sip of his tea and waited for Badger to respond. Badger looked at him and then looked at the work bench and then at all the things he just mentioned and then again at the work bench. Badger knew this was a test. "But sir..." Badger began.

"No buts! When I say it is in equal relation than, it is in equal distains." The Turtle interrupted.

"But sir," Badger started again, "the work bench is not in equal relation between all the things in the room."

"And why would you say so?" he asked knowingly.

"Because someone moved it. Look" Badger pointed at the legs of the bench. "That part of the floor is not as weathered as the rest."

Turtle looked down at where Badger was pointing. He was amazed at his apprentice's attention to detail. "Yes yes, very good. You are right." He smiled at his apprentice, "But that was not what I was referring to."

"Oh" Badger looks down at the tea, disappointed.

"It's all right. You are still young and have lots of time to learn." Chuckle the Turtle. He took another sip of the tea. They sat like this for some time. It was a habit of theirs; to sit quietly and have some tea in the afternoon. The Turtle looked up at Badger.

He remembered when Badger became his apprentice many years ago. Badger was a bid odd then, well Badger was still bit odd. Unlike many badgers, this Badger spoke its mind, sometimes without thinking, would observe the surroundings attentively, sometime zoning out completely, and would go completely mad in storms and whenever Badger was content she would sway from side to side to some internal music that only Badger knew. In fact that was exactly what Badger was doing at the moment.

But despite some oddness Badger was always an excellent pupil. Asking questions, doing research, helping Miss March with the housekeeping and assisting in the laboratory and very resourceful. Searching for knowledge and helping others is what a Mage is meant to be. Yes, this Badger was well on its way to becoming a well respected Mage.

"Oh "Turtle said, remembering why he came to his laboratory in the first place.

"Badger?" he asked, "Would you be as kind as to the bookshelf and hand me the big green book?"

Badger diligently hoped of the stool and walked over to the bookshelf. He looked around a bit before lifting a big green book of the shelf. "This one?" Badger asked. The Turtle nodded. Badger bored it over and laid it on the bench.

"Yes, this is the one." The Turtle placed his now empty cup on the tray again before adding "Badger"

"Yes, sir?"

"I am afraid I'll have to send you off on another expedition." An instant look of excitement appeared on Badgers face. "Now before you go running off in blind excitement, you'll only be able to disembark in a week."

"A week?" Badgers brow knitted together. "Why so long. Can't I go tomorrow? If I..."

"Now, now" the Turtle raised his hand to calm down his apprentice. "You'll need at least week to get packed and ready." Badger nodded in understanding.

"Where must I go? What must I do?" Badger asked earnestly. Turtle smiled.

"I am sending you to a place called Middle Earth. I need you to harvest me a dragon." He answered. Badgers eyes went wade in confusion.

"Master Turtle?"

"Not literally of course." The Turtle smiled amused. "There is a dragon there and if this book is to be trusted..." he weaved his hand indicating to the book on the bench. "He is going to die very soon."

"Why?" Badger asked looking at the book trying to make out the runes on the cover.

"Something about dwarves and a mountain, we'll discuss it later. But the imported thing is the dragon. As you know dragons are very magical and when they die some of that magic stays in their corpses." Turtle looked up at Badger to see if he was following. Badger nodded indicating he should continue. "Now what I need you do is get me the heart, the lungs, the fire glands and some scales, among other things."

Badger though for a moment. "So you are asking me to go and raid a dragon's corps?" she asked sceptically.

"In a manor. Do you accept this task?"

"Of course!" Badger exclaimed. "Like you even need do ask." Badger grabbed the tea tray. "I'll go tell Miss. March." Badger said walking to the door.

"O and Badger?"

"Yes, sir?" Badger turned back to look at him.

"We'll need do find you a horse." Badger's face dropped.

"A horse? Why?"