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 Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 3:06 pm
 Once again, Hollysong is flying to meet Hazel, the Teacher. As he steadily approaches her territory, the Storyteller lets out a booming hoot to warn her of his coming and stops for a moment. His companion moves a little behind him but doesn’t release the Chestnuts sleek feathers until he is clearly ordered to do so by his master.
Hollysong takes the little break to gather his thoughts. The older sentinel can’t help but to feel a little anxious as he wonders what Hazel thinks of the Apothecary he chose for her granddaughter. He is aware she did a little evaluation for herself and while he has a lot of faith on the amiable Apothecary, it is a fact that for whatever reason some sentinels just don’t like Drywood. It would be very bothersome if Hazel shared their opinion especially considering just how well the youngsters seemed to be getting along on their first meeting. Ah well, one obstacle at a time...
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Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:56 am
Fortunately enough, Hazel had done her own investigating and had taken the time to visit her granddaughters' intended 'mate' almost as soon as she'd heard wind of what the male's name was. While the visit hadn't gone entirely to plan, it had showed her parts of the boy's personality that she doubt many others had seen. He wasn't what she would have looked for in a mate, granted, but she wasn't seeking a mate for herself; in her opinion both he and her granddaughter would do just fine.
So long that blasted Serpe didn't scare Willow away.
Then again, maybe her sweet lithe granddaughter had no problems with snakes. She was sure Hollysong had looked into that anyhow.
The old teacher shrugged mildly to herself before the Storyteller's booming hoot resounded across her territory, "Talk of the devil," she murmured to herself before she lifted her head and sent a replay back him, indicating both her current position and the invitation to join her.
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Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:59 pm
She didn’t sound upset. That was the Storyteller’s first impression as he heard Hazel’s reply. If she’d been terribly disappointed with Drywood, if – Noctus forbid! – she’d hated him, then the whole matter could turn out much more difficult than he had previously expected. The Chestnut had come prepared for any reaction but the last thing he wanted was to have a family member opposing the relationship as he was well aware that things had a tendency to break apart at the tiniest friction in the presence of such conflict.
“Good evening, Hazel. You look lovely, as always.” He said as he landed on the same branch but at a polite distance from the female. “I heard you went to see the gentleman I introduced to your granddaughter. Curious?” Straight to the point. It almost sounded as if there was some reproach at the beginning of the statement but by the end of it, Hollysong had a playful smile curving the edges of his beak.
“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”, his golden eyes seemed to shout as he preened a few wayward feathers.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:09 am
Hazel inclined her head respectfully towards the storyteller. "Good evening, and thank you, Hollysong. And yes, I did visit young Mr. Drywood. I had to know that my Willowbreeze was paired with a good match. There's more to a male than just his build and color, you know!" she hooted, humor in her voice. Other than that Serpe of his, there hadn't been much to dislike about the boy. He was polite, unassuming, and respectful; his parents and teachers had done an excellent job with him, and she was impressed with Hollysong's find. He seemed to be amused by the fact that she had visited, but despite his smile, she could see a note of disapproval in his eyes. She could understand why; what if she'd scared him off, or said the wrong thing, or evoked an unpleasant reaction? These were delicate matters, delicate matters indeed, but she had to do it. Her eyes flashed back at him, quietly unapologetic. You would have done the same if it was your grandchild involved.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 5:26 pm
“You’re quite right, of course.” Hollysong conceded with a smile, hoping Hazel’s humor meant she had been pleased with the young Chestnut. “I trust you were well received by the boy…? He’s such a polite lad.”
Because Hazel didn’t show immediate displeasure, the Storyteller was confident about the outcome of the little meeting and yet, intensely curious about the deep woods’ opinion of the young male. But Hazel was a sentinel who, like himself, had seen her fair share of seasons – the both of them were, after all, grandparents – and Hollysong felt more at ease with her than most sentinels. He barely paused before asking her the question that was lingering on his mind.
“So. Just between the two of us… what did you think of Mr. Drywood?”
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:25 pm
Hazel gave a small hoot of happy approval. "He's everything I could have hoped for as a mate for my granddaughter. I'm absolutely convinced it will be a success; he was kind and well-mannered, and he has a good head on his shoulders. To be honest, I'm quite surprised he hadn't been snapped up already; I can think of a few of my own former pupils who would have gotten along very nicely with him." There were, of course, a few minor details, but Hazel had been convinced, and once she was convinced, she was nearly impossible to be persuaded to change her mind. "You did a good job, Mr. Hollysong. A good job indeed."
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 3:39 pm
Hollysong smiled proudly, nodding softly as he was being complimented. It was good to have the family’s support and to hear Drywood had been a good host.
“I’m glad you liked the boy. You’d be surprised at the number of individuals that get the wrong impression of him.” The Storyteller bobbed his head as if to emphasize his point and moved slightly closer to Hazel before his tone became curious and rather cunning. “I was wondering if you’d seen his companion. I’m a little worried about the boy’s Serpe. He seems ridiculously attached to it but he relies on it for his task. I’ve been thinking that we might need to find a responsible Brooder – if Drywood and Willowbreeze so desire, of course! – when they decide to have eggs…”
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:17 am
"Indeed he is attached to... Tails, he called her; she surprised me when I saw her, but I think my initial response was tainted by being flustered," Hazel said, nodding as she recalled her encounter with the Serpe. As Hollysong moved closer, her tone became lower and conspiratorial. "She really is very well-trained, for such a creature, and I was considering seeing if her original Keeper would be willing to watch over her. It seems that the two of them, Drywood and the Keeper- Sootfeather, he said the name was- have a sort of working relationship. I hadn't thought about a Brooder, but perhaps that would be a better alternative. That way, he'd be able to continue working." She mulled the idea over in her head. She'd hatched her own eggs, of course, and raised her hatchlings herself, and this had always seemed the best way to go about it for her; but if a Brooder would be safer, then this would have to be the way to go. Still... these weren't just any eggs, and she was unsure as to how her granddaughter would feel about it. Wouldn't any female have issues with a stranger hatching their eggs? "Or, y'know," she said with a chuckle. "I could help them with their eggs." Why not? It wasn't as if hatching a clutch of eggs would interfere with her schedule too much; she could take the time off. She'd had eggs of her own before, and while she wasn't a Brooder, she knew very well what she was doing. And keeping the eggs in the family would be better for everybody. Perhaps this would be a viable alternative.
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:30 pm
“Tails, is it? Quite an odd choice considering the thing only has one singular tail… perhaps it is a joke of some kind. Although I didn’t think Mr. Drywood was the humorous type.”
“Mmm-mm.”
“I’m not sure the boy is willing to stop working but we could give it a try.”
Hollysong listened to the female with an absent-minded expression, dropping a few sentences here and there when he felt it was appropriate. But when she made the final suggestion, the Storyteller’s eyes lit up and he starting speaking very quickly and excitedly.
“Oh, dear lady! Forgive me, I’ve been a fool! Of course, that’s also a valid option. It is hardly an unheard idea. Family members often help when a clutch arrives and I’m sure the young couple would be much more comfortable with your presence than having a complete stranger take such a responsible role in their lives. A competent Teacher like yourself would be perfect for the task. Will you seriously consider it? And when the right time comes will you be the one to make the proposal to your granddaughter? Oh dear, I am perhaps getting a little ahead of myself."
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:19 pm
"Of course I'll be the one to ask, when the time comes- I'd be honored myself to help raise the babies. Willow and I are fairly close, and I think she'd be open to the suggestion. I'm sure it haven't forgotten how to care for a clutch- I think her mother can vouch for me!" Hazel chortled quietly, eartufts perked in pleasedness. "Of course, they'll both be welcomed with open wings in my territory any time, night or day, so long as that Serpe stays at home." She said it lightly; she knew Drywood was mature enough to understand the danger his companion posed to eggs. It seemed she was in an odd humorous mood tonight. Perhaps all this matchmaking and planning was making her giddy? She was beginning to feel like Iennta! "Besides, it'll do my students some good to see the eggs, I think. The nobility of the Chestnut bloodline seems lost on some of them; I think it would be advantageous for them to see what I'm sure will be part of the future." Though she was Deep Woods herself, Hazel had adopted the Chestnut cause with a passion when she was chosen to take a Chestnut mate, and had stuck to it with her trademark stubbornness for seasons better left unnumbered.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 1:15 pm
“Yes, it’s a shame. Ignorance can lead to so many misunderstandings and wrongful actions. It really doesn’t help that the minor types tend to be so reclusive.” Hollysong said gravely as his body went rigid. “It is important to know, to see, to understand. We can’t let others forget. Even the lost battles should be remembered. Lost but not forgotten, I assure you. Ah, how many times during my research did I wonder about the old lost types. How I longed to see the mighty Irons in the flesh. Wouldn’t they look like giants next to you and me? And the mysterious Coal type…? How did we let knowledge of something so simple as to their appearance slip from away from our memories?”
The Chestnut’s voice is filled with emotion as he dwells on his own past. Hollysong seems to lose the usual focus and he stares into the dark night as if he has forgotten his company. It is his companion, the small silent Chirop, who nudges him awake.
“Trust me, the Chestnuts will not go down that path.” He concludes quickly and firmly. “Not as long as I’m breathing.”
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:06 pm
"I'm sure that my granddaughter will instill that same pride in her young ones, too; you're not an army of one for the Chestnuts, you know. So many just don't understand what it is to protect a minor type; are not the Chestnuts a grand old Clan tradition, just as the more common Deep Woods like myself are? It's an honor to keep up such a tradition, and I feel proud that I've played even just a small role in continuing the type. I know I'm no Chestnut myself, but my children and grandchildren and eventual great-grandchildren will all do our own very best to ensure the safety of the type. Ignorance is simply ignorance; prejudice is prejudice. What was the old saying again? 'Beaks and bones can sting like stones, but words can be ignored?' or something like that?" Hazel shook her head violently, shutting her eyes and remembering all the verbal snips and insults she'd born for her decision over the seasons. She, like Hollysong, was lost in some private reverie of her own, but she had no companion to nudge her back into politeness. She began to pick at the bark on the branch she was perched on, a bad habit of hers, and as the nastiness she'd experienced began to come back to her, she sleeked her feathers close to her body and flattened her eartufts a bit. If one was listening, a bit of a hiss the dignified Teacher's voice.
"Sometimes it's hard to ignore the barbs. Sometimes owl-brained idiots can't keep a civil tongue in their beaks. But when I see my descendant, my own flesh and blood, about to be mated and, well, frankly, validate that long-ago decision... Well, then, Mr. Hollysong, it's all worth it." A smug look appeared on her rather angry face, the result of which left her beak twisted in a rather odd expression, and her eyes flashed cold fire. Regrets? Pshaw. Hazel never had regrets. Never.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 8:31 am
“Ah, dear lady, I beg your forgiveness. I did not mean to spoil the mood.” Hollysong was quick to say. “I’ve already started mentoring a few promising youngsters so that the knowledge that has been passed down to me – as well as my life’s work – won’t be lost. The Chestnut’s future looks very promising, I assure you.”
The Storyteller’s gaze travels through the female’s body, absorbing the visible signs of distress. He is well aware that Hazel’s decision has brought her many unsavory reactions (mainly from Deep Woods individuals) and her unwavering pride over the seasons only serves to increase his admiration for the female. Hollysong keeps his eyes on the female in a respectful silence until his eyes narrow at Hazel’s little insult which he finds rather unbecoming of a lady such as herself. Wondering if she’s been under more pressure than usual, he finally decides to speak again.
“Ignorant fools shouldn’t be carelessly disregarded. They must be educated so that they don’t spread their misguided notions. Still, considering how cross type matings have been increasing, it’s no wonder some less informed sentinels lean towards radical opinions.” Hollysong shudders at his own words and for a moment he looks slightly irritated but he is quick to regain his composure and genial smile returns to his beak. “But if the Elders respect our position and if there are minor types in the highest ranks proving their worth every night, then I don’t see how anyone can fail to understand why we will do anything to prevent them from disappearing.”
“I for one, consider myself lucky for not being born as a Twilight.“ For if there is one type that suffers from undeserved discrimination, it is certainly that particular minor type. The Storyteller chuckles at his feeble attempt to return the humor back to conversation.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:22 am
At Hollysong's words, Hazel blinked fiercely and gripped the branch tightly, forcing herself to stop picking at it. She was embarrassed now; she hadn't meant to get all upset like that. Prejudice and rudeness from ignorant fools of the younger generation wasn't really Hollysong's concern; and now she'd said something foolish. Yes, indeed, sometimes glimpses of her old Combatant self came shining through. Dropping her eartufts, she sleeked her feathers again and softened her expression. "Oh dear, I am sorry for that little outburst. I..." she sighed. She hadn't meant to insult Hollysong, but the mention of the bigots brought a bad taste to her beak. "That was inappropriate, and I really do apologize." She didn't often apologize, especially at her age, but she truly respected Hollysong, and didn't wish to offend him. "You'd be amazed how disrespectful the younger generations can be towards their elders! I just wish sometimes, as a Teacher, that I could just hammer basic decency and understanding into the heads of so many... But, you're right. Actions are most important in proving our worth. I just wish that those devoted to the preservation of the minor types didn't have to prove their worth to so many uninformed Sentinels." She shook her head again, much less violently this time. "Hopefully, Willowbreeze and Drywood's children won't be terribly sequestered; if they make friends outside their own type, they could be living examples of the proud history of the Chestnuts, by being good examples for their peers. Perhaps when one's friends are of a minor type, one grows up more understanding towards the measures taken to provide a future for such types."
She knew that the Chestnuts, living scattered about the forest, weren't exactly cloistered like the Flames or Deserts, and while they mostly went to their own Teachers, she also knew that when one parent is a bard and the other is an apothecary, a family can't stay completely isolated. The chicks would be well-socialized, and, if she knew her granddaughter, well-mannered. Surely they'd get along well with the other fledglings. And they wouldn't... wouldn't be visual Abberants. That, certainly, was an advantage. "Indeed; the poor Twilights. I met a few in my younger days; they seemed no different from any other Sentinel I met in my line of work. But I never really got to know them; they were all so very guarded and quiet, but at the same time, industrious and clever. They don't deserve the prejudice they get." Preservation of a minor type, after all, wasn't like a poorly-planned mating with horrifying potential for no good reason; the Twilights should not have been demonized for their appearance. They, too, were valuable contributors to the Clan.
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:25 pm
“Oh no, no... don’t apologize, please.” Hollysong looked nothing short of horrified. True, he hadn’t particularly liked the somewhat aggressive use of the word “owl” by a lady like Hazel but he had never meant to sound disapproving or judgmental. Making a lady feel embarrassed was very discourteous if not downright crude and Hollysong considered himself to be a gentleman at all times. “I didn’t mean to sound critical. I’m terribly sorry if I caused you any discomfort.”
“Ignorance often leads to prejudice... But I suppose not everyone is fascinated by the origin of the existing types like I am… oh well, to each his own.” There is a note of conclusion in the Storyteller’s voice that clearly indicates is does not wish to continue on the same unpleasant subject.
“Ah, yes. I’m sure their chicks will have the finest education and opportunities. I’ve already begun making contacts inside the Chestnut community around Drywood’s territory. I assume that’s where they’ll raise their family if Drywood is to continue his work. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they started looking for a more suitable territory. Perhaps one closer to the Deep Woods. I’d certainly appreciate that.“ Still, one must be wary of the dangers of too much exposure. He leaves that last thought unspoken, determined to keep the light tone of the conversation. “Moving on to a completely different subject… have you heard about the Summer Strut? I’ve been asked to take a judging position in the upcoming pageant. Hopefully it won’t take too much time off my talons.”
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