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 Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:49 pm
Osprey's gaze lingered on the trio as she paused for a moment on a higher branch, then shot off to complete more exercises that were based around the current phase of training. Actual flight. She lapped around the training area with much more grace and speed than her first week under Breeze's watchful eye.
"I understand..." He replied softly. But where would he find someone to accompany him? Actual friends were few and far between. Perhaps he could ask Breeze herself? If not, there was the medic that he had met. She seemed fairly open minded.
The arrival of the dark hued fledgling was not a surprise and made it much easier for the aberrant to discern him from their surroundings. His eartufts twitched and he fluffed his bright feathers.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, sir Hollyhock." He replied softly. "I'm Odd Winter."
He often introduced himself as Odd, which while some found demeaning, he was used to it. It had been the dubbance his parents had bestowed upon him before he had been left at the minder's enclave and it had been used ever since.
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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:57 pm
Breeze was a little concerned when Holly approached the two adults. She was a little afraid of her students’ reaction to Odd Winter. Still, from the two, she was glad that it was the quieter one that had come. She was pleased by both his introduction and his polite question so she obliged, replying with a small smile.
“Winter is one of my old students. He used to be a medic but he’s now a keeper.” She glanced at the albino as her smile widened to a smirk that clearly conveyed the message No YOU didn’t tell me but I know EVERYTHING. And how could she not? After so much bragging with the other teachers that she could make a combatant out of anyone (including an aberrant) it was to be expected that she’d get a few witty comments when “her odd aberrant” changed tasks.
“As soon as Osprey is finished, we will be doing something a little different.” The red-eyed ghost continued as her gaze switched to Holly. “I’m expecting a gatherer. Today we’re going on a little trip to the ground. We will be discussing foraging and tracking. We will also practice evading on the ground.” The teacher acted as if she was giving the fledling a rare treat but Ally didn't seem too happy about the idea (though not unhappy enough that she'd leave the confort of Odd's chest feathers where she had hidden her face).
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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:27 am
Holly smiled at Odd Winter, glancing at Odd once more and wondering about him. He was too white, he had decided, to be a Mist, even a pale one, and there were no markings. It was disconcerting. And so were his eyes. Holly flinched a little bit when he met Odd's gaze, not because he was afraid (if Breeze wasn't, he decided he wouldn't be) but because he was concerned how Odd would react to his staring. Odd was a good name for this particular Sentinel. Holly sized him up once more, suddenly realizing that he had completely forgotten to do the one, most important thing: listen to Breeze.
His gaze followed Osprey, and then he looked sheepishly at Breeze, trying to remember what she had just said. Gatherer? Oh, really? That was...well, it was different and Holly wasn't sure how he felt about the ground. It was...more than a little frightening, and Holly certainly didn't have any great love for the idea of gathering on it. But if Breeze said they would, he'd do it without question. Flicking his eartufts, he looked at Odd. "So he's not the gatherer," he said aloud, and then realized his rudeness and sputtered. "I mean, so you're a keeper, and not a gatherer...are you just here for a visit?"
He half-cowered, expecting a sharper reprimand from Breeze than he had gotten in a while. He would fully deserve one of those, especially after so long avoiding it.
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:20 am
Odd's feathers sleeked, but the aberrant was still quite large despite the show of embarrassment. He really did intend on telling her, but it had seemed she knew. It was just like old times, because she always knew.
"Heheh, yeah." He wore a sheepish grin on the edges of his beak and glanced down at his talons. When he glanced back up, he noticed the little deep wood staring. Their eyes met for a moment and he bobbed his head slightly. The staring did not bother him so much. It did when he was a fledgling and he did not necessarily like it, but he was used to it.
He waited until Hollyhock finished speaking before replying. The half-cowered posture was certainly familiar. He was learning well and Breeze would, with out a doubt, make a fine sentinel out of him.
"No, I'm not a gatherer, though I do tend to gather chirops. I breed them." Moth bobbed her head as her master spoke in his soft, but friendly voice. "I decided to pay a visit and bring a little snack for Madam Breeze."
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:35 pm
“Careful with your language, Holly.” Breeze said sternly trying her best to ignore the fledgling’s staring. “Winter is a productive member of the Clan that provides culls, companions and even medical knowledge. Until the day you graduate into an equally productive sentinel, you will address him as “sir”."
“And that was very nice of you, Winter. I was wondering when you would.” For a moment her eyes returned to her student “Holly, go tell Osprey what we’ll do next. I want you do a little game with her. Your job is to patrol the area and wait for any signs of the gatherer we’re expecting. The first one to tell me where he’s coming from, wins. A false signaling will be dealt with later and if the gatherer makes his presence known before you can spot him… well, that means you both lose, doesn’t it? Run along, now.”
Truth be told, the orders might sound well thought out and part of a simple scouting exercise but the red-eyed teacher just wanted to keep the two students as far away from Odd Winter as possible.
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:08 am
Thoroughly cowed and completely disconcerted, Holly lowered his head and sleeked in embarrassment, listening to the reprimand and then glancing at Odd. "Sorry, Sir, didn't mean it t'be rude," he said quietly, then glanced back at Breeze. Her next instructions were easy to understand, and their undertone just as simple: he was being dismissed, and that was understandable. Inclining his head to Breeze, he looked once again at Odd. "Good night, Sir," he said quietly, then pushed off from the edge of the platform and went looking for Ossie.
Finding her and relaying the instructions was not difficult at all, and then Holly, still embarrassed, fled to the northern edge of Breeze's territory. Getting better, he might be, but grown up? ...Not so much, not yet.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:04 am
Odd followed the Deep Woods until he faded from his sight before turning back to Breeze and dipping his head to preen his chest feathers.
"I take no offense. He seems like a good young sentinel. Just curious, like all. I imagine you'll mold him well, just like the rest of your students." He commented lightly after running his beak through his feathers. Just being back in the territory was nostalgic for him.
Osprey had the urge to ask questions. She wanted to bombard her fellow fledgling with them, but his hasty departure to the northern edge prevented the regurgitation of words that would of spilled had he stayed a second longer.
Instead, the curious young mist was left to the southern most edge of Breeze's territory.
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:22 pm
“He’s a good student, yes. Polite and considerate most of the times. But I’ll take offense for you. I’m sure you’re used to turning heads your way all over Noctua but not here, Winter. As soon as you cross my territory borders, you’re home. Don’t you forget that.” Of course it hadn’t always been like this, the teacher thought to herself glancing sideways to the pale form sitting next to her. There had been a time when she would make sure to keep a good distance between herself and the inexplicably pure white fledgling.
She took a few moments to preen a wing in comfortable silence, with a inner smile answering the albino’s compliment.
“So tell me Winter,” she asked adjusting her red tipped wings neatly to her grey body. “Why did you turn keeper? And why chirops?” She had a pretty good idea of what might’ve caused the career change as well as the choice of companion but the teacher would rather be told directly.
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:04 pm
Odd's feathers sleeked out of embarrassment as Breeze spoke. "Yes Ma'am..." Indeed, it felt just like old times.
"Well... Being a medic, I rarely received any patients. In fact, hardly a sentinel would pass my territory, even with it being in Deep Woods... So... I wanted to try and contribute more. I guess I ought to of come here, first. I should of come to tell you sooner." He did regret Breeze having to learn it from the other sentinels.
Still, that was past.
"Chirops because... Well. Moth has been such a big help. I want to breed others like her, to be useful for everyone..."
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Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:19 pm
“Don’t be silly, Winter.” Breeze chuckled again. “You’ve long left the nest. You have your own life now to enjoy. Although… a visit is always nice. Even if you don’t have anything new to report to your old teacher. I’m glad Moth has been of use. She does look smarter than most.”
The teacher’s head tilted to both sides in turn, Breeze keeping a content smile that barely stretched the corners of her beak.
“So… what news do you bring me? I’m afraid I’ve been a little secluded with these two taking most of my time. Anything interesting going on lately? I heard the large platforms were being rebuilt but I’m pretty sure that’s not true.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:47 am
"I'll try to pop by more often." He pledged sincerely. He enjoyed being here and in her presence, especially since it was a rare thing to speak to other sentinels and in such a relaxed state as well. Deep in his heart, he dreaded meeting back up with Drywood, but only because he feared it would not go well. It wouldn't be the first time another sentinel had messed with him purposely.
"Concerning the platforms, I am pretty sure it is all rumor. I've heard little of construction plans and whatnot. I'm positive that it's not true. You heard about the shells, though, right? The Specter shells that were found during the storm? A frightening thought. I imagine we'll need all we can get in the combatant tasks." Few sentinels hadn't heard of the eggs, so he was sure she had. It bothered him deeply to think that Specters might be lurking around the borders.
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:45 pm
“Spectre shells? Is that true? I assumed that one to be a silly rumour meant to scare the faint of heart… To think that it is indeed true…” The teacher closed her eyes for few moments looking slightly worried. “Well… we do have one amongst us already. Tempest… yes, I believe that’s it… his name. He should be a fledgling now, I think. Have you seen him yet? I haven’t heard very flattering descriptions, I’m afraid…”
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:09 am
"I've seen a glimps of him before... He certainly is an interesting one, but I haven't heard of him causing any trouble. The sheer fact that he does exist seems to give the unfortunate news at least a smidge of validation.
Deep down beneath his feathers he hoped that it was just a rumor for the faint of heart, as Breeze had put it.
"But quite honestly, I don't think any sentinel would give a flattering description of him. Things tend to be a little biased." He tried to keep an opened mind, given his own condition, but he still felt uncomfortable with the fact that there was a Specter in their midst.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:17 am
“No, he certainly hasn’t caused any trouble. I expected to hear more from him, I suppose… I admit I have a growing curiosity concerning the little spectre… I doubt his minder would appreciate my company though. I heard she was fiercely protective. The only valid reason I can think of to go see the… Tempest would be to offer my services as a teacher… and I certainly don’t plan on doing that.” She laughed without any hint of regret or embarrassment cropping into her expression but quickly turned her head to face Odd Winter as she continued.
“Most of us are biased indeed but I wonder what the little spectre’s place will be in our society. There are few who still remember the bloody days of war but almost all have heard the stories. It will be worse now with the possibility of the old foes’ return. I suppose Tempest will be driven away to the Ranger task… or not. I don’t think he’ll be able to earn the trust the task requires. A spectre guarding our borders… who would’ve thought… has he shown any Will abilities?”
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:06 pm
"I honestly haven't heard anything." Odd hooted as he preened his chestfeathers. "I'm sure if he had, word of it would spread like fire through the forest. Then again, as you said, his minder is highly protective over him." Her laughing at the thought of teaching Tempest did not seem to bother the aberrant in the slightest.
"I can't imagine what he will end up doing. As you say, I doubt he will guard the borders. Almost any combatant tasks would seem a little too important to give to him. And he would surely not be trusted around the youngsters. I can see little of what he could do for us. Perhaps if he were to show some skill in another, less interactive area." He chuckled softly and sighed. "I guess we'll just see what Noctus has in store for us all."
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