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 Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:39 pm
For Breeze and Odd Winter. Holly and Osprey (also from aurrie, lol) can drop a word anytime they want.  They were certainly getting better. That’s what the ghost teacher was thinking as she eyed her current students with a pleased expression. There was Osprey, fierce as ever, cutting the wind with those white wings that seemed to grow stronger each day. And there was Holly, flying ahead of his classmate with an admirable speed. And it wasn’t just his speed that had improved. Holly was showing a remarkable stamina as well… Osprey would have trouble winning this round. They were at the second phase of flying training now, doing what seemed to be a rather aggressive game of tag. The objective? Getting close enough to pull a feather (without actually plucking it) from their classmate. Winning equaled rest and losing (or actually plucking the feather) meant extra exercises until the next round. Also… it kind of hurt to get their feathers pulled which was another incentive not to get caught and a rather persuasive one at that.
She enjoyed the show with a content (albeit slightly mischievous) smile, happy to find great improvement on the two fledglings. She could already see them as they improved their skills to evade, evaluate the situation and plan a strategy… they’d be having hunting lessons soon.
Ally came running from the dense foliage of a lower bush, looking both excited and happy.
“Coming, coming. Him!”
“Who’s coming, you silly thing?” the teacher asked, raising her eartufts as if expecting a call.
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:05 pm
The call that Breeze seemed to be expecting came in the form of a soft, rather familiar hoot.
Odd Winter had been making the all too familiar flight to an all too familiar territory. Oh, how he had spent so much time there, learning to cope and survive. Had Breeze not taken him, his current existence might of been more bleak or, unfortunately, non existent. Or... Would that be fortunately?
He shook his head as he settled his ghostly white frame on a perch over his former teacher's platform. He did not like to think that way, no matter how often he regretted even being hatched. As he thought, he hardly noticed Moth landing at his side. The chirop, his most useful companion, had been a gift to him from the particular teacher in question and for that he could never thank her enough.
Did she know of his profession change already? He had not told her... He hoped dearly that she would not be disappointed, but it had been so hard for him to find a single patient. So far, he seemed to of been able to serve the clan a bit better with culls... But even those were not accepted easily.
Speaking of culls, a few unfortunate chriops were clutched in his talons. One was dark gray, the other mottled, both were very dead. They had not been worth keeping, but were of good size for chirops and he had hoped Breeze or her current students would enjoy them.
The two students seemed to be working very hard and he could not help but to smile slightly.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:50 am
“Winter?” Breeze said with an open smile in obvious mock surprise. “Odd Winter? I can’t believe my eyes. I was wondering if you had forgotten about your old teacher.” Hardly an elderly figure, Breeze’s smile grew wider. She refrained from calling the albino Odd, a name she had admittedly used at first but that she now considered rather demeaning.
Ally disappeared and returned in an instant, carrying a small pile of fresh berries. “For Odd!”
“Come closer, Winter. Let me take a good look at you. We both know that if your color was contagious, I’d be brighter than Noctus’s gaze right now. Come, come. How are your eyes? And how’s Moth?” It was unusual for the ghost female to speak so cordially with a Sentinel let alone know the name of someone’s companion but Odd was one of her former students. He was one of her boys.
Fearing her current students would take the opportunity to rest under the pretense of meeting the pure white Sentinel, Breeze sent them a sharp look. “Keep moving, you two. Osprey won the last round so you better catch up, Holly.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:08 am
"Thank you very much, Ally." He hooted to the little, cheery skurri as he moved to he platform below himself.
"How could I forget my dear teacher?" Odd chuckled as he waddled closer to Breeze. To him, this felt like home. She was closest he could ever consider a mother, far closer than any sentinels at the enclave.
"I've been well... I've managed to keep a spot in Deep Woods, so it's more or less dark enough to be fine for my eyes. And you, Moth?" The faithful little chirop bobbed her head and grinned. "All good!" She squeaked.
"How've you been faring? If I'd of known you had two students at the moment, I would of brought a little extra! Working you hard?"
Osprey could not help but gawk from afar. Was he a Mist? He was white, that was for sure. She had never seen a sentinel so white before... Except... Except the funny girl in the storm. The one with white spots. They were all white, like this funny adult.
Of course, her gawks were in snatches, as she had to try and keep her friend from snagging a feather It was mighty painful and she certainly did not like it at all.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:35 am
“Good, good. Pleased to hear. Oh, that is so nice! Meat has been scarce lately so I’ve have to hunt a little, too. Well… I’ll have these two hunting for me soon enough.” She smiled again and lifted her head to Osprey and Holly.
“Can you see them? You can probably catch the mist a bit better. Holly blends with the background.” She chuckled. “Fierce little things, these two. They’re at the same level and improving at a scary pace. Everyone says that fledglings are turning to non-combatant tasks but I certainly can’t complain. Oh Ally, take this to the food tree.” she pointed a wing at the dead chirops.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:41 am
"I can see the mist..." Odd said as he turned his eyes to the place Breeze had indicated, but as she had guessed, Hollyhock was lost on him, save for the few times he passed by Osprey, blocking her from view.
"From what I can see, though, they are much more skilled than most fledglings where when I was their age." He didn't mingle much then. Fledglings are cruel creatures and back then, if they weren't picking play fights or showing off with each other, he had been an easy target.
"I don' doubt that they will be hunting soon, all the forest floor will be in hiding in the area!"
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:00 am
“They better. I have some squirrels getting frisky with the platforms lately and they look delicious. Those two… are good. I’ve seen promising fledglings like them before but never a pair with this kind of connection. It’s like they push each other forward but in a good natural way. Osprey (the mist) has some loud ambitions. Holly is quieter but just as eager. The minders are doing something right.”
She noticed how Odd showed some difficulty in finding Holly’s darker shape. Her smile faded for an instant. “Ah, I don’t understand. Mystics… they can color an idiot’s eyes purple and pink but they can’t make your eyes see better…”
(OOC: ...or maybe they can...? o.o)
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:28 am
"One must deal with the feathers they are given, I suppose." The aberrant chuckled softly. "Though I can't imagine why anyone would want purple and pink eyes. All's well, though."
He methodically set his feathers as he spoke, in a fashion that this particular sentinel had taught him, which seemed so long ago nowanights.
"I met an interesting apothecary during the Thunderbird's most recent squall. Drywood, I believe his name was. Have you heard of him?"
OOC: I... Dunno... I don't think so, though.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:23 pm
“Drywood? An apothecary? There’s a Drywood nearby but he’s a Hunter. Oh, I do know another one. He belongs to an old type if I’m not mistaken. Medics say he’s one of the best but I’m not familiar with his work. But he must be indeed remarkable if even the most prejudiced are willing to go to him despite... his feathers. He lives in the West. Is that the one?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:37 pm
"Indeed, that is. Very interesting fellow. For one, he invited me into his tree. He didn't seem bothered at all. More curious than anything. He says he's seen it, the white sickness. Not in other sentinels, but in companions."
He felt he needed to speak with someone, so perhaps it was this that prompted his visit, or just sheer loneliness. Either way, he was happy to be speaking to his former instructor again.
"Friendly fellow, or at least he seemed it. Probably the first other who didn't seem to think that it would spread. If he did, he didn't show it."
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:10 pm
“He was curious? Sounds like a medic’s way of thinking. But he’s seen it before? Really?” the teacher turned her head to face her former student with mildly surprised scarlet eyes. “Did you see them? They were white? Their eyes were the same? And born from…” normal, her mind said. “… commonly colored companions? What about light…”
It was confusing. She wasn’t sure if someone had tried to play a trick on Odd and the thought angered her deeply. Breeze spoke cautiously this time.
“Are you sure he was serious? If he’s selling something, don’t buy it. Make sure he’s trustworthy. I don’t want you to go chasing anyone around for some miracle cure. Noctus knows… your only real problem is your eyes. You have a good memory, a strong enough body… I assure you that if your eyes had permitted I would have made a hunter out of you.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:47 pm
The strange newcomer's arrival hadn't been lost on Holly, though he wasn't willing to stop lest he lose the game and make himself look a complete idiot in front of Ossie, Miss Breeze, and a stranger. But he was certainly going to get a closer look as soon as he could. Using a clever little between-ways to catch Ossie as she flashed between two trees, he tugged lightly at a primary and immediately flipped his course. Dashing into the darkness and looping around quickly enough that he hoped Ossie would get confused and keep going straight, he quickly doubled back and moved in a wide circle, hoping that Breeze wouldn’t catch sight of him.
He paused for a moment, perching reasonably far behind his Teacher to take a quick look at Odd Winter. The big male was well-built and surprisingly coloured, with feathers so white they made Ossie’s brightness look dull. And his eyes were different, too. Peculiar. Tilting his head, Holly didn’t dare rest much longer than half a minute, and then he took off again, hoping the adults’ conversation would distract Breeze from the noise he made taking off.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:18 pm
Osprey gave a light keen of pain. Even though Hollyhock had tugged lightly, it was still an unpleasant experience.
She continued flying straight fora moment, completely baffled as to where her friend had gone. She settled on a far branch for moment to get her bearings, before turning around to glance at the stranger. She could not make out much other than his large build and his bright white hue. Perhaps he was a mist? Strangest mist she had ever seen!
Then she was off again, but flew from tree limb to tree limb as practice. She had lost, after all, and it was Holly's turn to rest.
"He says he has seen it in mus and mice... And even a parus, but I saw none of them. He didn't act like he was going to try and sell something... Only expressed curiosity. Just sort of... Curious, you know?" He nodded as he took in her advice.
"We were going to talk a little about it later, so I am foggy on the details of what it is he has seen exactly." And that was why he liked his instructor so much. She had a good head on her shoulders and always seemed to know the solution to everything.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:17 am
“No harm in meeting him, I suppose. I don’t think he’d be an impostor… but you wouldn’t believe the things I’ve been hearing, Winter. Reports of thefts from gathering stations… keepers mysteriously losing their charges. It’s like the world has gone mad. Don’t trust anyone blindly… I mean… you know what I mean.” She hesitated for a moment before allowing herself a small laugh. Then she spoke seriously again but her expression had relaxed considerably.
“There are shady characters in this world. It would be wise to ask a friend to be with you when you meet the apothecary. Someone who can see things even Moth can’t. No offense, little one.” She added with unusual consideration towards the small companion.
She did notice Holly as he left which surprised her as she didn’t hear him landing. Now THAT was something worth noting. That was proof that he was ready for the next phase of his training. And then he won the round. The red gaze locked on the deep woods fledgling waiting for their eyes to meet so she could give him a curt approving nod.
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:31 am
When Hollyhock did meet Breeze's gaze, he tilted his head and angled in closer, circling the platform once and waiting for a shout of disapproval. He didn't think he'd get any, and decided to risk it. Making his circle tighter, he landed just on the edge of the platform, achieving something akin to a decent landing, though he stumbled a pace forward and had to right himself immediately. Looking from Breeze to the...strange...male, he quickly inclined his head and spoke.
"Afternoon...sir," he said, only the barest pause suggesting he had almost forgotten his manners and not used an honorific for the stranger. "I'm Hollyhock, one of Miss Breeze's students." He smiled, and then turned quickly to his teacher, to show that he wasn't just trying to take a break. "Miss Breeze, what did you want us to do now, ma'am?"
The little double honorific for Breeze had started out as confusion, become habit, and now Holly used it to show, in his own peculiar way, respect for his ghost teacher.
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