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 Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:26 pm
The teacher eyed the fledgling with some surprise as he copied her movements, visibly improving with each preening motion. Nothing wrong with his head apparently. Now that her previous doubts concerning the fledgling’s had been dismissed, it was clear that the fledgling’s ignorance couldn’t be blamed on the child himself… or at least on his willingness and ability to learn.
After yet another very uncomfortable period of silence, Breeze preened her chest feathers and stepped away from the fledgling.
“Let’s keep going. It will probably take one more stop but we’ll be there soon.” She said, hopping to higher branch.
“No. More close.“ Ally said softly as she followed her master. “Smells close. No stop.”
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:44 pm
Odd Winter's wings were still tired, but the short break had done him at least a little bit of good. The "ill" creature tilted his head to look over Breeze and the companion, Ally. He didn't want to go yet and he briefly wondered just what Breeze would do if he tried protesting again.
Not that it really mattered, because either option would end poorly, anyways.
"Yes'm." He replied quietly, as it was the only thing he could choke out, despite the choice words he would of rather said in any attempt to get her to leave him.
And he pushed off his own perch after her; his landings were still rather ungraceful.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:16 pm
It was almost sickening for the teacher to see how easily the fledgling was giving up now and Breeze was definitely losing her iron determination. Her job was to toughen up the soft young fledglings others put in her care not crush their will. It was particularly painful to even look over her wing to see the pale form following her like a scolded companion knowing she was about to leave the child in a place where no one wanted him, no one would teach him and possibly help society condemn him to a miserable (and possibly a very short) life.
She kept moving slowly to make sure the fledgling could keep up with her pace and maybe avoid some unnecessary accidents, eying her companion as she moved very close to the pale fledgling. The uncomfortable silence was starting to affect the small companion and the closer they got to the Enclave, the lower the furry creature’s head dropped.
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:58 pm
As they drew closer to the Enclave, the little white fledgling seemed to grow smaller and meeker. His feathers were tightly sleeked against his small form and his eartufts were flat against his skull. There seemed to be no hope in his little mind and his body followed this deep, sickening feeling.
No, they wouldn't want him back. In fact, if they had noticed that he was missing, they were probably sighing with some relief.
"Do we 'afta?" He peeped miserably between heavy breaths.
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Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:41 am
No, we don't really, her mind answered automatically as the female’s eartufts lowered until they merged with her head. There was another way and even the darn skurri was thinking about it judging by the pleading look that was sent her way. Sure, the thought of returning to the empty platforms and finding herself alone so close to the empty hollow where she would never see Snowclaw and Fiercefrost again, snuggling together comfortably in their thick mist plumages, eager to begin another day at the platforms and at the same time fearing it… it pained her. But there was no point to pretend. This child behind her was no mist! He was nothing like her promising students that had grown up under her harsh care and graduated into two fine combatants (a pair of hunters, how proud she had been to see the two of them standing tall at their ceremony!).
How could she take this weak boy under her wing? People would say she was going soft, losing her mind… and quite frankly, she was! Why was she even considering it? What did this child have that could be even be considered a reason for her to take him in? And dear Noctus, why would she even risk catching that dreadful disease? What if her eyes were to change and weaken, what if she lost her abilities and how could she ever face her ghost family members looking like she was trying to turn mist…? No this was too complicated, too dangerous…
“It would be best if you had… a mist teacher.” She finally said coldly without looking back and Ally looked thoroughly confused as she followed. Breeze didn’t even consider that the child hadn’t asked for her to be his teacher, just rather got lost in her own thoughts and assumed the boy was considering it.
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Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:32 am
"I don't have to have a teacher... I just don't want to go back." The little fledgling peeped quietly as he struggled to keep up with the intimidating Ghost. Though his eyes were not as adept as other sentinels, he could still pick up on her posture and her demeanor seemed to match her voice, cold...
Or unhappy.
Regardless, he was well aware that he was the source of her unhappiness. Yet another sentinel that he had upset just by being around. He fumbled as he landed on another branch and nearly fell, but managed to catch himself. He clung tight to the limb and stood frozen in place. If he shifted, so he thought, he might fall. Of course, this wasn't really the case. It was just fear from the last misstep.
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:03 pm
Breeze froze abruptly as she took the fledgling’s words in. She eyed Odd Winter with visible surprise before she finally opened her beak to speak and for the first time in the whole evening there was a sincere smile across the teacher’s face, one with a hint of mischievousness that would’ve been very familiar to any of her former students: the smile that was known to precede a particularly strenuous task.
“My, my. Did I just get ahead of myself…? I do believe I feel rejected, indeed I do.” And even though she was joking, it was clear the large ghost wasn’t used to the feeling with all the empty headed fledglings that usually approached her for a lesson when she was choosing her students at the enclaves. Eyeing the fledgling with slight apprehension as he struggled to remain on the branch and then stood perfectly still, the teacher recognized the fear in the pale fledgling’s eyes.
“Tsk, tsk. What is that, what is that, little-boy-who-need-not-a-teacher? And you were doing so well…” She landed next to the fledgling, closer than she ever had before and lowered her head towards a lower branch right in front of them. “If you find yourself a little afraid to take the next step, just pick your target wisely. See that branch? Lower, easy to reach with a quick glide. Impossible to miss, really. And even if you did manage to miss it, there are a few branches right under it that are just a easy to grab. Just drop gently and let the wind carry you for a few moments. Go on.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:44 am
“Tsk, tsk. What is that, what is that, little-boy-who-need-not-a-teacher? And you were doing so well…”
He felt a slight change in the branch and turned his pale eyes to the side, where Breeze had landed next to him... Next to him? For a moment the little white freak was baffled. Why would she do that? Was she okay? Something had to of happened to her head, why else would she do that?
Thoughts whirred in his head like a caged parus, but he calmed himself the best he could. Here she was giving him advice, he'd miss it if he couldn't pay attention. Noctus knows he needed every word he could get.
"Just... Glide?" He peeped quietly, though it was more of a rhetorical question aimed at himself. He still felt as though he was precariously perched...
After a few moments of internal turmoil (his body did not want to respond at all), he managed to drop as Breeze had said. The branch was easy to reach and his talons gripped it tightly once he landed. His heart was thumping and a giddy feeling of butterflies tickled his stomach.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:07 am
“Just glide.” Breeze threw the fledgling’s words right back at the small albino with an assertive tone added to them as a little confidence boost.
Again she wondered why she was still helping this weak fledgling but her resistance was growing weaker. After all, someone had to teach him. She couldn’t in good conscience be a willing part in the creation of a burden for the clan. And really, how much work could it be…? All she had to do was spend a night or two at the enclave and teach this boy some vital lessons while she picked her next students. She just had to make sure to keep a good distance from him. Yes, this could work.
“Good.” She said simply, a little relieved by her own thoughts and the fledgling’s success. “Not a bad landing either…” the teacher flew over the fledgling and landed a considerable distance from Odd and her companion. “Try to keep up. Use your wings if you feel up to it. Don’t fall behind now.” He wasn’t bad, she admitted in silence. Even though the child seemed to be a little behind as far as normal fledglings’ development went, he showed a very raw potential that she could use. A crafter… maybe a keeper… yes, she could make this work.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:53 pm
"Really?" He peeped in almost awe. She didn't say it was superb, which he knew it was most certainly not, but not bad was better than what he usually heard. Her words did some to boost the white fledgling's confidence and, once again, his fear of going back subsided a little bit. Even if she wasn't keen on it, the Ghost was teaching him and this was enough to fuel him on. Maybe if he kept up, she would tell him more things...
With a slightly less amount of hesitation, he flounced from the branch he clung tightly to and moved to the next. He was picking his way after the teacher, albeit still a bit slowly.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:36 pm
Not bad at all.
“Take a moment to preen from time to time. A neat plumage is vital for silent and precise flying. I should warn you that I don’t like repeating myself so let this be the last time I remind you to preen.” Ally had caught up with the teacher and was moving quietly behind her master with a silly grin crossing her furry features. The large ghost didn’t say another word as they moved silently, eyes seemingly fixed on the path ahead but glancing frequently to the pale fledgling that accompanied her.
“Clave.” Ally said softly and Breeze stopped for an instant to carefully examine their surroundings before releasing a booming hoot.
“We’re close.” The teacher told Odd as she began moving again.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:43 pm
"Yes ma'am." He peeped, remembering his manners. The moment Breeze mentioned them being close, he paused to set his feathers. She did say to preen from time to time, plus he did want a slight delay...
"Yeah, guess so. I got kinda turned 'round." He mumbled as he ran his beak through his feathers. It was still slightly clumsy, but much improved after the Ghost had taken the time to show him a little more closely. He really didn't want to go back, so maybe if he lolligagged a bit... Though he would be sure not to take too long, so she wouldn't get mad at him. That was the last thing he wanted, especially since she was taking the time to tell him things.
Once he was sure he was done preening, he moved to the next branch.
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:59 am
Breeze suppressed a smile as the fledgling made his rather obvious attempt to delay their arrival at the Enclave. But considering of his reasons for stalling, she refrained from making a harsh remark too quickly… It was sad, really.
If his condition hadn’t been so obvious and crippling, she would’ve liked to have him as a student, the teacher decided silently as the fledgling finished his long preen. She liked children like Odd. Polite, but not blindly obedient. Capable of walking on the line but smart enough not to cross it. Yes, she would’ve liked him… if he wasn’t so different.
“A good preen is precise and quick. Get it right next time.” Breeze said sternly but the teacher didn’t sound quite as harsh as before.
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 1:03 pm
"Yes ma'am, I will." He stretched out his wings in preparation for moving again. The limbs and branches were closer together, a sure sign that they were nearly to the nestled Enclave.
Not to mention he could hear them, the other fledglings, and the minders that had their talons full with looking after the little creatures.
He turned his pale eyes back to Breeze momentarily. He had not asked, but she seemed set in her decision that she was not the right teacher for him, so what would be the point in asking? Usually if you asked too much, the adults got angry... Or angrier.
With a well placed hop, he moved to the nearest and easiest branch for him to see.
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:50 pm
Breeze also noticed the growing noise that reached her ears and landed on a high perch, eyeing the surrounding area with interest. There weren’t many fledglings playing and practicing on the platforms and thick branches of the enclave and most of the minders looked rather busy. If she remained at the edge of the enclave it was unlikely that anyone would notice her. She caught a nod from a minder who was desperately trying to remove something a young fledgling’s beak and with her presence acknowledged she turned to eye her pale fledgling.
“Aren’t you going?” she asked faking a surprise she didn't feel. She knew he wouldn’t exactly fly away at top speed to join those who openly disliked him and quite frankly now that she was about to drop him off and leave, she was starting to feel a little anxious. The thought of leaving a child who was still pretty much helpless in the talons of sentinels who would ignore, humiliate and despise him was struggling inside her chest. But it was silly to worry like this when he wasn't even one of her students.
For a moment the teacher wasn’t sure she could say anything.
“Home, mist!” her companion said excitedly in her place, quickly moving through the branches.
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