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 Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:56 am
Jester nearly fell off the branch he was perched on, again, when he heard Twilla whisper his name. It had startled him, even though he had called out to her. Excitedly he puffed when she gestured for him to join her. Flitting down from branch to branch till he perched next to her. "Yes I have! It's very exciting!" he exclaimed in a hushed voice. He struggled to swallow the urge to sing out his song.
When a joyous shout came from a spotty rust colored Sentinel near him (Krause), he looked towards her. He could no longer contain his song, and just like that it came burbling up.
"Towwwwwwaaarrrrrdsssss the SKYYYYYYYYYY, we'll SOARRRR sso HIIIIIIIgh!!! ON WIIIIIIIIiiiiiings that fLyYYYYYYYYY!!" Without realizing it he had left the song the way he had sang it at his graduation, counting himself as a fledgling for the moment.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:33 am
Twilla sunk low and fluffed her feathers out. Her eartufts pressed against her skull. His singing didn't stand out too much, she hoped, amidst the other cheers for the graduating fledglings.
Yet, at the same time, his singing reminded her of her own excitement as she selected her occupation as a gatherer. She had been so tense at the time. She was so worried that she would of been denied the profession, though gatherers and hunters were always needed.
"Inspiring..." She murmured quietly, with a smile on her beak, once he had finished the last nuance.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:33 pm
The sudden outbreak of "song" made Fernfeather wince and flatten her eartufts. If this had not been such a big gathering she would have tried to tuck her head under her wing to escape that horrible noise. Hurting or threatening the guilty bard until he stopped was also a very tempting solution to the problem. But instead Fern clenched her beak, and forced herself to grin and bear it.
Birch enjoyed the gathering, and since he had no reason to be the centre of attention tonight he lurked around in the outskirts trying to catch some song-worthy news. He saw quite a few familiar faces and also noted the Brigadiers presence high above.
"Now that's something to tell the grandchicks," he mused, wondering if the new adults had noted their privilege. He tried to figure out which of the new crafters Liam the minder had talked about. It wasn't the male, he was pretty sure of that, since Liam had talked about a female.
"Need to talk a bit more about that with Char," he thought, "and Tousled too if she is going to help train the new crafter."
Both Char and Tousled had a habit of blending into the background and Birch had to search the crowd for quite some time before locating his friends. As it happened he spotted Tousled first, and decided to sneak up behind her.
"Hello there," he said cheerfully, but quietly enough not to disturb the ceremony.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:30 pm
Talons crawling against stone. A dieing Parus that was choking on a bell. A family of sick, screaming, Skurri. All of this would have been more bearable, better welcomed, then whatever was vomiting the noise that was being, dare he give it that word, ‘sang’ further below. Sly’s usual sleek coat was puffed, feathers almost curling as he winced tight, clenching his beak at the sudden noise that had started. Noise, because nothing the bards ever sang was actual music.
Sly managed to peel his eyes open for a fraction to locate the source of abuse and managed to look through the clattering thong of onlookers to see most where snickering with amusement or others giving glares in one direction. Jester. Sly knew the name as he did most of the Sentinels about. It seemed while Jester was unaware of the others looking at him, the bard was keeping his attention towards another Sentinel, Krause, who was jumping up and down and congratulating the fledglings, even BEFORE they graduated. Idiots! The whole lot of them! He was assured that later down the road, medics would find that bards suffered from some mental disease and unsurprised, Sly would be there to put them out of their misery, one of which Jester was causing his poor sense of hearing right now. It had to be the most obvious mental defect for someone to choose to be a bard. Then again, where they suited for anything else? To put any responsibility on them would endanger their entire colony. Best let the jesters run around like fools but for the grace of all things, could they not shut up for one moment, and in the presence of such a large assemblage no less. There where officers here!
It was the fact they where officers that kept Sly from swooping down and finding something to lodge the throats of Krause and Jester then and there. With this ruckus, he caught Sequoia snickering beside him before laughing outright, eyes filled with mirth.
“My aren’t they the happy lot. You’d think they where graduating!” He said, voice merry enough that it was even as sickening as the mangled song Jester was singing. Sly openly made a face of disgust and annoyance.
“It’s a whole mess of noise. Gutted Mus could sing better. He’s terribly off key and is straining his voice. How can he be considered a bard when he doesn’t even know the area of his voice? Ugh. I don’t know if it would be a bad turn of events or a sweet blessing to go deaf now. Sly cringed again, hearing another spiking tune that made his entire body clench. Such repulsive noise! It had always been told by his father that he had a keen ear for things, though in this case, it was the worst curse to have. So many bards. At least the new batch of crafters would not sing. True, crafters weren’t any better, but at least anything was better than a bard.
To Sly’s growing annoyance, Sequoia was fresh with new laugher, this time looking at him. Sly’s beak seemed to curl, not liking anyone taking amusement in him. He was not an entertainer and did not like being looked at like one. Sequoia noticed the dagger-sharp glare but only lowered his laugher a fraction. “Ah! The bard son lives. That sounded straight from Willowstone’s throat!”
Sly went instantly to offense and his feathers ruffled more out of anger than discomfort. “Bite your tongue or else I’ll tear it out. To make such a comparison – I’d rather here this bird.. He indicated Jester with a wave of his wing. “.. squawk than that.” Sequoia often pushed Sly’s buttons, but he didn’t anticipate this one and he tried to smooth things over quickly as he watched Sly make his motions to leave.
“ I was just kidding. It was all in good fun.”
“I’m not here for your good fun.” Sly shot back, adjusting his wings.
“Oh come now. Stay and talk.” Sequoia pleaded innocently, tapping the branch he was on with one foot.
Sly looked to Sequoia, as if sizing up the offer, before glaring deep into the painted Sentinel’s eyes. “ To those who cannot sing well and those who cannot talk well, let them all swallow their tongues and do us all a favor.” He said, and leaped off, flying to another branch further away. Sly would remain for the entirety of the graduation, but not with Sequoia’s company.
Sequoia was left on his branch, frowning. Ah well. He’d talk to him later, as the forest often brought people who did not want to see one another together, and he’d make amends. Whether or not Sly would accept, which was unlikely, was up to chance.
Instead, Sequoia looked down to watch Jester and a few more Sentinels talk and enjoy themselves, and a tearing up Liam. Poor fellow. Sequoia could only wonder how it was to raise a child and watch them grow to leave. He often wished, wondered, if things in his life went the way they where suppose to, with death as an interruption, if he would have kids around this time. The thought made him somber and he looked up to resume watching the graduation.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:52 pm
Frowning slightly, Raine seemed to unknowingly share the Brigadier's sentiments. There were an awful lot of Crafters…Of course, Noctua was at peace, but still…Raine felt rather uneasy. She had hoped that there would be some young blood joining the Rangers.
Shaken from her thoughts by Lore’s cheerful greeting, Raine could not help but smile warmly at the newly-made Crafter.
“Lore! Why, you’ve grown so much since the last time we met! Congratulations on becoming a Crafter!” Raine paused, noticing a new furry addition standing beside Lore. “I see you’ve managed to wrest a charming Martes from the Keepers! And so soon…that’s quite an accomplishment! However did you manage it?”
Rare-Companion Keepers were notoriously picky about who they handed off their precious bundles to. Raine, herself, would not have managed to keep Hazel had it not been for- …but she did not like to think of that.
Eyes shining with glee at finally meeting another one of his kind, Hazel bounded forwards, and sniffed the silver Martes. He trilled and hiccupped. “I Hazel! Who you?”
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:15 pm
Lore was only vaugly aware of the dismay all of the crafters were causing. It was her graduation day and she was far to excited to worry about something that didn't seem to effect her at the moment. Lore grinned at Raine's compliments instead. "I can barely believe it myself! I just dropped by a mus Keeper someone had told me about, maybe it was Liam, dunno, to look for a mus. I figured no one would let me have a Alcyon, which was what I wanted. Alcyon can dive for metal, which would help me out in the Sparkle River when I go. I mean Alcyon are really useful, but dangerous too, and I though no one would let someone.... er... well, someone as hasty as me have one, so I went to look at mus.
"Of course there was a Martes Keeper there talking to the mus Keeper, trying to get a sack of mus to feed his crew with. I didn't want to disturb them, but the Mus keeper got fed up telling the Martes keeper he wouldn't sell a couple of fat mus with pretty markings to be eaten and asked me what I wanted. I told him what I wanted a companion for and what I wanted in a companion and he started directing me towards a pair of mus in the corner. The Martes keeper looked kind of annoyed by the interuption but as I said what I wanted his eyes seemed to light up.
"I think he partially liked taking buisness away form the mus keeper, but he asked me if I wanted something that wasn't going to get eaten right away and invited me to look at his martes. I nodded my thanks to the mus keeper and went to look at his stock. He asked me more questions about what I was gonna do with my companion and stuff, but eventually said he would let me have a martes in exchange for a complicated silver piece for his wife that'll take forever, for their anniversary or something. I agreed and he let me have this little guy here." Lore finished finally. "Long story, eh?" she laughed and continued. "Oh. I never heard how you got Hazel! So, how'd you get him?" she asked gleefully.
As Lore's long story was meandering on, Bone had greeted Hazel. "Hi!" he quipped. "Bone!" The silver martes sniffed his brown and black comrade and circled happily. "Me belong to pretty girl! You belong to pretty girl too!" he said cheerfully.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:35 pm
Chase hit the bark with a loud thud, breathless. His head, facing the platform where all the former fledglings and their minders and families stood, was painfully lowered as he gasped for air. One of his wings settled neatly close to his body while the other remained half spread as if it had been somehow hurt. The shadow’s deep sapphire eyes however were not on the young adults that stepped forward to receive the clan’s blessings but on the dark bag of considerable dimensions that rested between his talons, under the tight grip of his claws.
Those who know the tall male, might find he’s lost a considerable amount of weight and his dark feathers don’t look quite as sleek they used to. As a whole, his plumage has lost some of its former gleam and his body is sore, rigid and exhausted. Those details hardly seemed to matter to the large male as his focus lies solemnly of the sack that he holds as if it were his most prized possession. When the blue gaze finally left the dark shape, Chase was looking for the little deep woods fledgling amongst the eager Sentinels that he surely shared the platform with. But he was no longer a small fledgling and Chase grew exasperated as he realized he’d never be able to find him from his current position.
He hopped from the branch with a rather ungraceful jump and flew to the platform as discretely as he could, landing on the edge and immediately made his way around until he spotted Liam. He couldn’t wait to give little Thorn the bag he had been holding for so long and this couldn’t possibly be a more suitable occasion. A graduation gift! Now he sincerely hoped the little one hadn’t changed his mind… it would look rather silly if he were to offer the amalgam of raw materials to a hunter…!
Moving through the feathery forms he halted suddenly finding himself very close to Liam and Hazel. It was not the minder or the witty female who made him stop so abruptly but the sight of young fully grown deep woods very close to him. How long had he been gone?! How could that little ball of fluff grow so quickly… he turned into a fine adult, indeed, proudly wearing a crafted necklace. Apparently his worries were unfounded. Eager to leave the ceremony but afraid he might spoil a private moment between the minder and the graduate, Chase preened for a few seconds then moved discretely towards Hazel and whispered softly in her ear after tapping her gently with his wing.
“Hello Hazel. It’s been a while.” He smile and bowed curtly before adding “Can you do me a little favor?”
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:39 pm
"Oh dear, did someone step on a Skurri's tail up there?" the Warden called out, after nodding yet another young Sentinel through their graduation. He looks up at the crowd, seeming concerned, but that affectation is stripped away suddenly when he pierces Jester with his gaze. "Let's not have any further disturbances, shall we?" And his attention drifts towards Krause, lingering on her for a moment, before he gestures with a wing and chortles expansively at the not-quite-adults before him.
"Come come now, step forward and state your role! Everyone is eager to get to the feast."
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:01 pm
Jester was just inhaleing to continue his song when the Warden caught his gaze. His song caught in his throat and his head drooped down into his shoulders. He wasn't afraid, he was embarrassed. He knew his singing wasn't up to par with some of the other bards, in fact none of the other bards, but he still wanted to sing.
"Sorry!" he croaked out as he felt his flush through his feathers. He swore he must be bright red. Shifting a bit closer to Twilla on the branch next to him.
"I didn't mean to upset everyone." he whispered in the quietest whisper to Twilla, so quiet that the wind may have wiped it away.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:57 pm
"I know, I know... Why don't you sing once the ceremony is over? That shouldn't bother anyone, I wouldn't think." The young gatherer suggested. She felt aspot of pity for the bard. He wasn't up to par with the other bards, but he was trying. For that, she held a bit of respect for him.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:37 pm
Raine had not turned a feather at Jester's previous sudden outburst, having seen and heard much stranger things on her patrolling rounds. She focused her eyes onto Lore, unsure of how to answer her innocently intended question.
Hesitating for a split-second, Raine gave an easy smile. "It is quite a long story, though I do believe that he chose me, not the other way around."
She winked conspiratorially. "Anyways, the Keeper didn't find out until a long while after several…events had already occurred, and frankly, I think he was rather glad to get rid of this trouble-making rascal. But then again, most Martes are quite a handful to keep. Though in my biased opinion, you can’t do any better than one.”
Nodding happily, Hazel agreed with his new friend Bone. Despite the lonely life he and Raine shared, the Martes at least seemed to have no trouble making friends. Giving Bone his signature cheeky grin, Hazel chattered in amusement. “Bone look lots like you pretty girl! Both silvar, ya?”
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:04 pm
Jester perked up a bit at Twilla's suggestion, and gave her a nod. Very thankful to have her next to him at that moment, needing that bit of support. Although he did want to continue to sing, he decided he would wait.
Jester's attention then turned to the graduation. "Have you heard any bards in this bunch yet Twilla?" One eye constantly on the Warden, still a bit wary.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:10 pm
"Not a one... We've had a hunter and a few crafters... I was actaully hoping for a few gatherers. We aren't finished with the group yet, but it sure seems out of balance." She replied in a whisper. "We need more hunters and gatherers, for sure... A few bards, I suppose, for the Theatre, too. Such lovely performances are put on there." She rambled quietly, then glanced at him before looking over the graduating fledglings once more.
"Wouldn't you say so? Some might scoff, but I do love to spend some of my time there."
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:19 pm
Bone blinked. "Silvee? Me not blakka white?" he asked as he tried to check his color by chasing his tail. "Paws blakka, tail blakka white." Bone got dizzy and had to slow in the chasing of his own tail. "Mmmm... me really match girl?" he asked gleefully.
Lore winced a bit at Jester's song, but having experienced it before at closer range could shake it off now. Wow, but his voice should be used as a weapon, not as "entertainment"! Blech! Lore grinned at Raine instead. "Well, as long as you can stop them from eating other companions." she giggled. "But yah, they are great. Hope the keeper was ok, but in my opinion you couldn't have a better companion than Hazel. I hope I can manage Bone half as well." Lore looked at Bone expectatly just in time to catch him chasing his tail. "Er....." she groaned. "Of course there are some things that maybe should be worked on, but I'm sure he'll be more helpful than a mus. With this big a crowd there's always someone who gets hungary, and they always seem to go for the mus 'cause the skurri are always too well guarded." she finished and rolled her eyes in exasperation.
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:32 pm
Jester gulped loudly at Twilla's question. The theater, a place he held in such high esteem. He had never actually been IN it before, he was far to worried he wasn't ready. He had been AROUND it and ABOVE it. He ached to preform there, Jester felt that to preform there with the Brigadier's Bards would make him complete.
"Er...." Jester could feel the blush returning to his feathers. He didn't want to lie to Twilla, she was his friend. "I've-never-actually-been-IN-the-theater." It all came out in one breath.
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