Creature Bond

This spell is similar to the Find Familiar spell in many aspects but is far greater in many ways.

You may select a beast or plant of CR 4 or lower to bond with you, and the beast must be willing to submit to the ritual.  You spend the next 8 hours in ritual, creating a magical bond that will last a lifetime between you and the creature, which now becomes your ward.  Once the bond is complete, some of your life energy is used to maintain the bond.  You immediately lower your maximum HP by 2 per hit die of the creature.  This damage can't be reduced or avoided in any way.  If the bond is broken you regain the lost HP at a rate of your CON modifier per day(minimum of 1).

You can't have more than one ward at a time. If you cast this spell while you already have a ward bonded, you instead drop the bond on your previous ward and it may act according to its nature

Your ward gains an Intelligence of 10 and the ability to speak one language you know, as if the Awaken spell has been cast on it.  Your ward acts independently of you and may make its own decisions, but considers you a friend and all actions are made as if charmed by you.

During a long rest, you may choose up to 3 levels worth of spells you can cast to suffuse into your ward.  Your ward has these spells and can cast them once at their lowest levels, replenishing them after a long rest.  The spell uses your spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability modifier, and is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell.  You do not have these spell slots while your ward carries them.

 In combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn.  When the ward drops to 0 hit points, it rolls for death saving throws as normal.  On your turn, you can expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher and grant the ward advantage on the death saving throw.  If the ward dies, the bond ends and you cannot perform a new Creature Bond until a full month has passed.

While your ward is within 1000 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically, You may use your ward to deliver a message as if casting the Animal Messenger spell.  You can do this as many times as your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.

Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your ward can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your ward must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack modifier for the roll.