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 Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:07 am
His name was Azzinoth, his lineage was questionnable. To most of Islagiatt the quiet and otherwise unassuming doctor was diligent in his duties but a complete enigma. At most they were aware that the ethereal stallion was a relative of Azumoth, his brother no less, but how he could be linked to Kiyoshi as a sire was one of the more baffling facts for the members of the herd. Nevertheless his expertise was valued and as he had spent more and more time in the presence of the Islagiatt soquili it had become apparent that his skills were both needed and greatly appreciated. It should have come at no surprise that the large unicorn was now subject to a rather rigorous regime and when he wasn't present in the Kawani he was traversing the continents to retrieve various herbs and ointments that would prove invaluable in his work.
Ah yes, this unicorn was a stallion with two homes. Or rather, his heart remained with his people in the far east but his duties now extended far beyond what he had initially anticipated. For all intents and purposes he had far exceeded the expectations of those who had regarded him as a 'risk' in their community. The bride that had chosen the quiet and secure life would have been astonished to realise that not only was the shy doctor renowned in Japan but that he was now regarded with great respect abroad as well. At least this was what the stallion would have hoped when he fell on harder times and slipped into his more melancholy moods, however he knew better than to expect others to wallow in the past when they had made firm decisions.
She'd chosen the right path to her, even if it hadn't necessarily done his health any favours.
It had been countless years since then, the stallion estimated that a decade had passed since that fateful day and yet he was still as shy and rather lacking in self confidence as he had been the day his ego had taken a battering. It was just as well that he was so competant at his job else he would have become one of those rather depressing and spineless idiots that caused the world to groan in general! Instead, he was just a melcancholy creature who reserved his grim thoughts for days when he had no appointments and no drop in patients - there was a time and a place to be contemplative after all!
He'd only just returned from Japan of course, loaded with countless herbs and ointments to see him through the winter in the Kawani Province and no sooner had he stepped over the threshold than he had been ambushed by not one individual but a series. Suffice to say if his were to be assaulted in this manner regularly he should probably look into hiring a secretary but for the time being he had enough brain power of his own to keep all his appointments in order. The first of these was a new student within the herd lands, a filly no less and according to her mentor it was imperative that she be given a full check up before she was subjected to the regime that awaited her.
He saw logic in this.
Therefore it was with a soft sigh that he regarded his surroundings with clear eyes before proceeding further up the slopes, eventually coming to the plateau that rested on one of the slopes within the territory. It was a typically familiar training ground but had been vacated today in favour of some other activity which he was fairly certain he would have a mild stroke at (he'd nearly had one when cliff diving was explained to him). The trees and cliff face that bordered it provided ample shelter and kept those training warm, however for this afternoon it would merely be his surgery provided the little filly showed up!
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Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:27 am
She had already been here for a few days, but all she had done was some observing. Enviously, she had watched the others trained on the plateau from the shade, wistfully wishing to join in. In her mind, she could already see herself training with the rest but her mentor had firmly stated that she had to go through some sort of a check up first... Check up. She didn't need it! Although she was born a little smaller than her two siblings, she had been a healthy foal! After all, mother said so.
Arriving at the plateau for the first time that day, Brioso blinked in surprise when she realized that there was nobody around. Although disappointed at the lack of action, she soon perked up again. Looking left and then right, she made sure that there was absolutely nobody around before clearing her throat. Planting all four feet firmly on the ground, she stood still, pushing out her chest and lifting up her head as if posing for someone to look at. Then, she gave what she hoped was a charming grin (but actually looked rather silly) and spoke, her voice crisp and clear, "Brioso the heroine in training had reached the mountains after a long, hard journey. However, for some reason-"
She took a few steps forward and posed again, narrowing her eyes and scanning the area in front of her while she continued to speak, "There was nobody around! Thus, Brioso had no choice but to explore the platu-" She froze suddenly, eyes widening as she turned a bright shade of red under her dark blue pelt; there, a short distance away from where she was standing, was a stallion she had never seen before... Did he see and hear everything?
Her blush deepened in color before she took another step forward, hoping that the stranger had not seen her antics; it would be so embarrassing if he did! Oh, how she wish the Earth would swallow her whole just about now...
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Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:31 am
As an introspective creature, Azzinoth had long since mastered the art of blending into the shadows. For all intents and purposes he didn't exist, carrying himself in such a manner that ensured others missed him. He rarely held himself at his full height, often stooping or keeping his head low to permit the eye to pass over him. His behaviour wasn't suspicious, his mannerisms were as would be expected of a well bred male and for all those who possessed wandering eyes he was nothing of note. He wasn't important to them (unless he needed to be) and as a consequence creatures generally forgot that he was there. This afternoon was no exception as he lounged in the shade of the overhanging branches. Caked in snow, these conifer trees kept the warm in and the light out as peculiar a concept as this might be as everyone knew it was colder when it was dark! He'd grown comfortable in his position, his hindquarters leaning rather heavily on the tree trunk beside him as he observed his surroundings.
...He had been that way for a while.
His patience was rewarded about twenty minutes later though when the petite filly appeared over the horizon and inspected the plateau this way and then that way. It was clear she hadn't been trained as of yet, she had missed him entirely and certain that no one was in the area, she opted to act out her little scene. Even from here he could sense the excitement in her voice and a smile played upon his lips as he regarded her. A pose here, a dramatic pause for added affect there - she certainly had the energy and enthusiasm. However he was all too aware of the strain the regimes placed on a body and she would need more than enthusiasm to graduate from those. He permitted her the opportunity to express herself, his ears swivelling and twitching as he listened to her recite her story. It was just getting to the good part when she froze, their eyes met and he was granted the knowledge that she had finally spotted him. What was worse was that he had seen it all!
Her expression was a picture of surprise and embarassment, but professional as ever the stallion didn't bat an eyelid. He had seen far more humiliating things than this, a filly with an excitable imagination was completely normal to him. "You must be Brioso," he broke the silence first (as an adult should) and tilted his head to one side. His accent was heavy but the words simplistic enough to be understood. "My name is Azzinoth, I will be your doctor this afternoon..."
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Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:06 am
"Uh, well, yes..." The filly answered, curious about the weird accent that accompanied his words; it can't be a herd accent because so far, she hadn't heard anyone with the same accent. However, as she shifted her hoofs about and looked this way and that, it was clear that she was still flustered by the fact that the stallion had probably seen her little 'solo act' and wasn't too concerned about his accent. Taking another few steps forward so that she was standing right in front of him, Brioso smiled sheepishly and tried to compose herself in the presence of the stallion like the adult she thought she was.
"Azzinoth," She echoed after him as he introduced himself, giving a more natural smile; his name was quite fun to say out! Her eyes widened as he continued talking - he was a doctor! Probably the one she was supposed to meet in order to have her check-up. At the thought, her embarrassment was quickly replaced by the excitement she had a moment before. Looking up at the stallion, she grinned and continued, "Will you be giving me the check up? I can't train till I have my check-up..."
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:29 am
Embarassment quickly evaporated at the knowledge that he was the last hurdle that stood before her. If she could pass her check up then she could train, with his advice her mentors would know how to proceed and she would be subject to the training regime that al children in Islagiatt were - or at least, all children who desired to learn the various combat techniques. His head tilted to the side as he watched the expression of the little filly flicker and shift, she was a rather bubbly character and as far as he could see her enthusiasm would prove to be of great use to her provided she didn't lose it when the going got tough. At the very least he could confirm that from a psychological stand point the child was fine and the only thing that remained open for inspection was her physical prowess.
...He was fairly certain that the filly would need psychological care at some point during her training, but for the time being she was perfectly adept.
"That is the intention of this visit," he agreed as she spoke, his head canted to the side and he regarded her for a few moments before lowering it a little to her level. "Although I do have to ask if you consider yourself ready, the check up is really quite rigorous," he warned. He spoke slowly, ensuring that the words were clear through his thick accent and offered a bemused smile. In the period she had been moving around and had spoken to him he had been able to inspect her form. On initial inspection she seemed completely healthy, she had no wounds or bruises and while a little scrawny through lack of muscle this was nothing that couldn't be solved through exercise. She even seemed to have adjusted to the lighter air on the slopes which was a bonus, though whether this would stay true when he made her run would be another matter entirely.
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:37 am
The filly listened attentively when he spoke, refusing to let even the smallest of detail pass her by. Whether she could stay and train depends on this stallion... Her whole future was in his hoofs! All she needed to do was to prove that she is physically well and fully capable of adapting to the training conditions.
"Ready? Of course I am!" Brioso replied quickly with a grin, seemingly more excited than before rather than deterred by the information. She hadn't had the chance to do much except to loft around, looking at others train. When she got bored of looking at others, she would trot about in order to stretch and exercise her legs or leave the plateau to explore another part of the mountain. She didn't even try to gallop at full speed like she did when she was back home because she felt somewhat self-conscious... Like there was someone watching her all the time, although she was sure she was just being paranoid in her new home.
Then, she frowned slightly, as if something important just came to mind. Looking up at Azzinoth, she paused for a moment before raising an eye brow curiously, "Although... Well, how rigorous did you mean by rigorous? What am I required to do anyway?"
The filly then quickly added, "Not that I think I can't pass, but just being curious, you know!"
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:54 pm
A hint of a boyish smile appeared on the stallion's lips as she enquired as to his intentions, there were few he had met that would enquire as to his definition of 'rigorous' and it brought great amusement to hear it from a child. To think that this little one was unknowingly more wise than some of the adults he had encountered was rather pleasant. Alas she was entitled to a reply and after he had regarded her for a few moments in deep thought he provided her with the information she desired. He would by no means be as much of a devil as Ambroise and his comrades would be, but he would certainly push her.
"Well, when one is testing the endurance of another they must push them to run as fast as they can," he pointed out delicately and lowered his head to her level. "To swim for as long as they can, to climb for as long as they can. All the while, they will push harder and harder until they know of their limits," he paused at this in the hope that she would receive his meaning. For all intents and purposes the stallion intended to drive her to distraction and until she could barely get a breath into her body. It probably wasn't the most appealing thing in the world but it would give him a rough idea of what her tutors should aim for.
"Now if you are ready, I would appreciate it if you would run as quickly as you can around the edge of this plateau for as long as you can manage. I will count each time you make a full circle," he murmured.
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Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:17 am
She grew a little excited at the prospect of moving around until she was too tired to do so; it would be like playing catch with her siblings until one ran out of energy and gave up, right? Brioso was about to open her mouth to ask, but something the doctor said made her pause - Limits. Brioso blinked; she was sure that Grencia had used this word before, when he was leading her up the slopes and she found herself struggling due to the thinner air... The filly frowned slightly as she tried to recall what he said; something about warriors needing to know their own limits?
"Now? As in, now?" Brioso questioned, a little surprised at the sudden request. When she realized that he really did mean now, the female nodded with a grin before trotting to the edge of the plateau, gaining speed as she approached the edge. By the time she reached the edge, the filly broke into a full gallop, confident that she would pass this check-up, whatever that meant.
Running was something she was comfortable with, having grown up in the wide open plains where there was plenty of space to run in. However, as she completed her first round, the filly realized that there was a huge difference between running in the lowlands and running in the mountains... The air was thinner, and it was more tiring to do so up here.
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 1:47 am
Azzinoth leant back on his hindlegs and watched the mare as she made her first lap, she had started off with a great level of enthusiasm but he well aware that she wouldn't be able to keep the same pace up for long. He made a mental note to advise her instructors after this assessments, that they should take careful measures to teach her house to pace herself through her training. It was important to develop a balance between breaking your own limits and pacing yourself so that you didn't colapse afterwards. She was a foal and he knew this, he also knew that young colts and fillies were notoriously hard headed, she would learn in due course but it wasn't his duty to force it upon her. She would be healed by him, counselled by him, but he would never tell her to do anything beyond what was required to check her health.
He heaved a sigh and this and continued to regard the tiny filly, she was certainly an enthusiastic one and this would prove useful for her. However if she continued to run at this pace she would never be able to get through the rest of her check up! He shook his head, a smile threatening to creep onto his features and to disrupt his professional demeanour. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he waited patiently for the little one to tire, only when she drew to a halt by her own decision would he continue with his assessment.
...At least he could be reassured in the knowledge that her limbs were currently working fine!
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:08 am
'Must go on, must go on...' Brioso chanted in her mind; she was panting too hard to talk as she completed her third round. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Azzinoth watching her; he was her final test, the last obstacle she would have to cross. As long as he gives the green light, she would be able to start her training! That was only her third round; she was sure some of the trainees were still going strong during their fifth round.
Perhaps the fatigue was all in her head.
As she finished another half a round during her fourth round however, it was clear that it was not her imagination. Her legs ached and her head was starting to ache as well. Suddenly, the word 'limit' flashed in her mind; Grencia mentioned accepting it and Azzinoth mentioned knowing it. If it was that important, perhaps she should figure out what her limits were and learn to accept them.
Panting heavily, she slowed down and eventually came to a stop. Her legs felt very much like jelly and she was afraid of stumbling if she took a step. Was this her limit?
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:29 am
"Keep walking," Azzinoth instructed and sauntered towards the filly. She had exhausted herself at last, she could still move but he would bet good money (if such a currency existed for a soquili) that her legs felt like jelly and her head was spinning. It happened to everyone when exhaustion struck, even the most fit and healthy of warriors could find themselves wobbling, swaying and eventually colapsing if they were pushed beyond their limits. The fact that she was panting did indicate that she needed training in both pacing and breathing techniques but given her age and her attempts at his task he wasn't about to criticise her. He was fairly confident that her tutors would be the ones to do this on his behalf and hopefully she would take their words into consideration the next time she had a check up.
"If you hold still your legs will cool down too quickly and you will end up stiff," he explained, perhaps one tip that he would give without the assistance of a trainer. Uncoiling his tail from his leg, he gave the filly a gentle nudge on the rump to get her moving again, setting the pace himself at a reasonably slow walk. "You must also breathe in through your nose and then out through the mouth," he instructed. He didn't explain why this was, but controlling one's breathing in that manner would mean she could regain her breath (and voice) much more quickly. She'd be prepared to move on again in no time at all, but he wasn't going to push her into another task until her legs weren't as wobbly as a new born's!
"Do you have any twinges or cramps? Does anything seem painful?" he enquired conversationally, performing a quick check up to see if the tiny filly had over exerted herself to the point of straining her limbs. He hadn't seen any limping or flashes on pain on her face but one could never be too sure and if there was one thing that Azzinoth was, it was safe.
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:39 am
"Yes... Okay..." Her eyes widened at the nudge, but she soon nodded, replying in between breaths of air as she followed the doctor's instructions to walk. Taking wobbly steps forward, Brioso was surprised to find herself standing and not collapsed on the floor from possessing jelly-legs. When he provided his next tip, the filly couldn't help but look curiously at Azzinoth; she never knew that different ways of breathing could affect breathlessness after exercising.
However, she decided not to question his tip and followed it, realizing later that it did help. Walking instead of stopping to catch her breath helped too; although her legs were still tired and wobbly, at least it was an improvement from before.
"None at all," She replied with a nod, as if agreeing with herself, after a second's thought; it was the usual - breathlessness, tired legs and a light head. Nothing else troubled her... Her eyes widened, and she hesitated before continuing, "That's... A good thing right?" From the look on her face, the filly was clearly embarrassed; she was 99.9% sure that it was a good thing, but that 0.1% bugged her.
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:27 pm
"It is a good thing," he confirmed with a small smile. She didn't have to understand the method behind his madness, he would never expect her to ponder over the medical reasons behind his instructions. All she needed to realise was that they worked, that when breathless and tired it was better to walk and control your breathing rather than to weeze painfully and develop a horrendous stitch in the side. It might have seemed uncomfortable to push aching limbs further but when they cooled down they were in a much better state to continue working, in time he was confident she would grow to realise this. In due course he was firm in the belief she would recognise the behaviour of her fellow students and appreciate the reason they tended to speed up and slow down, but they never seemed to stop.
Flicking his ears here and there in an attempt to discern if there were other individuals within his immediate vicinity, he could conclude that no watchful guardian was spying from afar and continued. There were occasions when the tutors came to observe their potential students but it seemed that the vast majority were distracted for the time being; why this was continued to evade Azzinoth but it had never been his place to get involved in politics. As far as he was concerned his duty was to ensure that the individuals of Islagiatt (while he was present) were in good health and continued to be.
"Now," he tilted his head to the side and regarded her for a few moments. "When you feel better, I want you to start some lunges -" he paused briefly and then shook his head as though arguing with some internal voice. "Are you aware of what those are?" he enquired after a few moments and flashed a wry smile, she could have been more educated than he was giving her credit for, but it was better to check then cause distress if she truly was uncertain.
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:53 am
"Oh, that's good," Brioso replied coolly as she returned the stallion's smile with one of her own. However, the truth was that she was cheering wildly within, glad that she was normal and that she seemed to have passed his first test - she just didn't want to act like that in front of him. The female blushed at the thought, looking away for a moment; maybe she could celebrate the next morning by finding some fresh clovers to munch on...
Trotting behind Azzinoth, she had started to breathe regularly again and her legs did not feel as weak as before; interestingly, she felt more awake as well... Hearing the physician speak, Brioso quickly turned her attention to him, determined to make it through the day as smoothly as possible.
"Well, I do feel better now..." She replied but quickly paused as she closed her eyes, chanting softly, "Lunges, lunges, lunges... Lunges..." Opening her eyes again, Brioso shook her head, "I'm not sure what that is, actually... Don't think I've heard of it."
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:02 am
Azzinoth would have pointed out that clovers didn't generally grow at this time in the year had he known that she intended to find a meal of them later. However it was highly likely that another member of Islagiatt would point this out to her in the kindest way possible. The slopes were not a delicate place and were decidedly brutal. The unforgiving bite of the wind ensured that no plant was safe and the more benign of foliage slept until spring when the bite was more of a ticklish nibble. That being said there were sweet foods available in the mountains, it was just a case of locating them and becoming accustomed to the peculiar textures they had - for example the taste of bark was lovely but it's texture was a touch on the tough side.
This aside the doctor was aware of the young filly's desire to act differently around him, perhaps the importance of this visit had been stressed? He wasn't certain but he had a sneaking suspicion that the child was much more vibrant and bubbly when not subject to the scrutiny that she was under now. Alas it was a necessary evil and if he had to be the bogeyman then so be it, his duty was to keep her healthy and he wasn't going to advise anyone to train her if she was of substandard health!
Frankly, he wasn't surprised that she wasn't familiar with lunges - for a horse these were a bit of a foreign concept.
He considered how best to explain it for a few moments before canting his head to one side and regarding her thoughtfully, "Have you ever seen a deer move?" he enquired. It was the best image he could come up with, deer didn't to lunge without realising it but it was generally called 'prancing'.
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