Chapter 3:
Felipe looked confused, "My real father?" He signed
"Come with me to the cave, it will all be clear there once you read it." Diego sighed.
Felipe followed Diego into the cave. Where he saw a book and a piece of paper lying on the old wooden desk.
The young De La Vega gave the letter to Felipe. who sat on the chair behind the desk. Getting more questions than answers from the letter.
"I am a werewolf by birth?" Felipe signed confused.
"It seems so or on father's side anyway. We still have to wait until after the full moon if these letters speak the truth." Diego said
Toronado looked from his stable to Diego and Felipe. He sensed the change in the room and that made him somewhat uneasy. He started to move his hoof over the floor. the sound of his hoof on the stone floor underneath his hay made Felipe flinch.
The young servant grabbed his head in his hands when Toronado started neighing in an alarming high tone.
Diego looked from his horse to the young servant and back before sighing that was something he hadn't thought of. Werewolves are predators in the eyes of their prey and how brave Toronado was he was still an animal with the instinct to run from the danger.
"It's alright, Toronado. It's just Felipe. He is going to some changes right now so please calm down." Diego said towards his stallion.
Toronado tilted his head to the right to look at Felipe and calmed down again. Felipe would have screamed if he could. He took a deep breath after the noise stopped.
"I know it's hard, Felipe but try to control your hearing our lives depend on it. It may be best to avoid the pueblo until after the first full moon." Diego sighed.
Felipe nodded "what about Zorro?" He signed.
"I will have some meals with our good sergeant. He usually tells me everything without knowing it." Diego smiled.
"You will need to control your hearing though but that can wait until after your first change," Diego said.
"What's this map?" Felipe signed
"We need to take you there before the sunset. Your uncle would meet us there and will help you survive your first change and maybe learns how to control" Diego said
Felipe closed his eyes and shook his head and opened his eyes again.
"What's wrong, Felipe?" Diego asked worriedly. He had been reading in the book but this was a first for him too.
Felipe points towards his eyes and signed that his view changed, he saw things sharper. It only blurred a bit before it got better. It's a continuous change of view.
"Everything starts to change, I read through the book last night and there are a few things I would like to test with you in a remote place. I am going to change in Zorro though because we are taking Toronado with us." Diego said while he changed his clothing.
"What if someone sees us?" Felipe signed
"I know just the spot where you can hide when needed, but nobody will be looking for us there," Diego said with a smile.
Felipe walked towards the stable to saddle Toronado. The stallion was still a bit uneasy but he trusted Felipe no matter what Toronado sensed about him.
"Good boy, it will take some getting used too for you but Felipe won't hurt you. We will make sure of that." Zorro patted Toronado's strong neck.
Zorro mounted the stallion and pulled Felipe up so that the boy could sit behind him before urging Toronado forward towards the secret waterfall. A place he had discovered by accident.
The ride was about half an hour from the cave. Felipe looked around.
"Why don't I know this place?" Felipe signed confused.
"I discovered the place a year ago. I come here when I want to be alone, to think or when something went wrong as Zorro." Zorro sighed, "This will be our secret. We will come here to train."
Felipe nodded.
Zorro took the old book out of his saddlebag.
"First of all your senses will become stronger. We already know about your hearing and your sight. You will need to tell me when your sense of smell changes." Zorro said seriously
Felipe nodded again in agreement. He knew it was in his best interest that he would tell Zorro everything he felt.
Zorro turned another page, "Your speed will increase. We are going to see if that already happened."
"How?" Felipe signed.
"That's where Toronado comes in. You are going to race him. To see your real speed I am going to remove his gear, that way he can run at full speed." Zorro said.
"Me? Racing him?" Felipe signed in disbelief.
"Yes, it says right here you should easily outrun a horse but we both know that Toronado is twice as fast as most horses. So it's a great way to see how fast you really are." Zorro said while letting him read the page.
"Alright listen up, both of you. You will run towards that three of there about a mile from here turn around the three and come back. Toronado it's important to go full speed on this one." Zorro explained.
Toronado nodded his head.
"Felipe concentrate and let your body do the work. don't hold back out of fear, alright." Zorro said to the young servant, "I know you are scared but it's in our best interest that we are prepared as well as we can."
Felipe nodded, "I feel like running!" Felipe signed.
"Good," Zorro said before drawing a line in the sand.
"Both of you stand behind this line," Zorro ordered before he walked aside.
"On your marks, ready? Go!" Zorro yelled.
Toronado jumped in full gallop immediately. Felipe little behind him but that didn't take long. Both members of Zorro's team were running side by side until they arrived at the tree.
Felipe's agility made sure that he turned sharply around the oak. That turn gave him a slight advantage at the stallion.
Felipe took the last sprint and finished a little before Toronado.
Toronado shook his head in disbelief. Zorro laughed at the reaction.
"A poor loser old boy?" The masked man teased.
Toronado neighed in protest.
"Alright, I know you are not used that someone outruns you."
"How are you feeling, Felipe?" Diego asked.
"I never felled better" the young man signed.
Zorro smiled, "We will get through this Felipe. Don't worry."
Felipe sighed but nodded his head.