26/01/2006
Touch Deer has set up a small work area by the Maqii. Amid collections of plant stalks, sinew, feathers, and cordage, Touch patiently constructs arrows. Each is long, much much longer than a standard arrow, most likely designed for fishing. He appears immersed in the work, gaze tilted downards into his lap as he ties fletching onto one of his fish arrows.
Veronica emerges from the woods in homid, combing her hair out with her fingers. The cub spots the figure working by the Maqii the moment she looks up, and for a second, she freezes in her tracks. Then she takes a second glance, and recognition dawns. Her pace changes from 'lazy gambolling' to 'upright and sensible' as she walks towards the elder.
Touch Deer looks up with a faint twitch to his lips, almost a grin, and sets his arrow aside before standing up. "Veronica, I was hoping to see you." His voice is relaxed, and amiable is the half-bow he gives before walking to meet the girl half-way to the Maqii.
Veronica flashes a happy grin back, even giving a mock-curtsey. "Why?" she asks, taking a step back as he gets nearer, trying to judge what a respectful distance might be. The girl brims with energy, fidgeting a little as she anticipates the answer.
Touch Deer's lips forms another faint ghost of a smile and he gestures back towards the Maqii, where embers from a smallish fire smolder with inviting light and warmth. "To check on your learning, and on you." He moves back, sitting at his spot once more, and motioning for Veronica to join opposite him.
Veronica hurries to the spot she was shown, wide eyed and now smiling even more. "Jacinta took me to the caern, and I went to the spirit world," she enthuses. "I met a spirit, and...the whole place is just so beautiful. When can I go back? Not just the spirit world, but the caern. It was amazing! I've never seen anything like it before!"
Touch Deer adds some small twigs to the fire. "It's a beautiful place, yes...we can go there again tonight, if you like. What else have you learned, so far?"
Out come the fingers as she counts things off. "I can run and walk, and jog, on all fours and on two, in crinos. I even jumped around a bit today. Can't climb things yet. Ummm...I can speak some Garou words, but I still need to learn more. I know all of the laws, word for word like I'm supposed to. I remember all of the writing, too. The uh...the glyphs for the laws. And all of the tribes and auspices and breeds. And the story of how the Garou started, and how the Wendigo started. And I know how to walk in the caern so the spirits don't get upset. How to go to the spirit world, and why I'm not allowed. And that I might have an ancestor who talks to me, but I'm not allowed to talk to him back because he might take me over and never let go." She stops counting around item five, and beams proudly when she finishes the list.
Touch Deer nods a few times, smiling still. "Good. Good. Have you learned to hunt, or fight? Do you know these things at all, from your life before?"
Veronica's cheeriness wavers. "I can catch little things, like mice. I couldn't go into the Longhouse when I was practising wolf, so I kind of had to. Fighting...um...no. Like...never. Ever. I've never even seen a real fight."
Touch Deer's smile drops. "It's important to understand battle, and how to fight, and hunt. We, the Wendigo, are the most skilled hunters of the Nation. I will show you some moves tonight, and how to stand in battle. You are not a full-moon, like Jacinta, or myself, but all Garou must know how to kill, and defend themselves and their allies. She and I will show you how to kill, effectively, and also to hunt. Okay..." He stands and motions west. "Take four legs with me, I'll take you to the sacred Caern, and we'll practice some fighting."
Veronica plants her hands and shrinks to lupus, her body language demonstrating her deference to the Fostern. Yes, is all she says in reply, obviously not eagerly anticipating this particular lesson as much as her previous ones. Still, her tail waves, and she tilts her face to the wind.
Touch Deer is on four legs in no time, and moves off west, leading the cub to the Caern.
(And so we move to Up The Valley)
Touch Deer pauses at the rim, sniffing, then shifting up again. "Some of the Sept are gathered at the Caern now, so we'll train here where you will not be distracted..." A momentary pause, then he abruptly asks, "If I were an enemy, show me how you would stand against me."
Fledgling takes homid as well, chewing on her lip nervously as she tries to remember anything at all about getting into fights. Already wincing, the cub turns a little bit sideways and puts an arm up hesitantly in line with her face.
Touch Deer points at the cub's hand, announcing rather loudley, "Good! Keep your center protected." He motions up with both hands. "Up. Take the warform, and I will stay in this form right now...so you understand me." And now he drops slightly, bending at the knees, both hands coming up to his front. One extends half-way out, hand relaxed and open, directly before his chest. The other is farther back, hand also open, positioned at the elbow of his forward-arm. He nods, indicating the cub should imitate, once in Crinos.
"Umm...okay..." Still hesitant, Veronica straightens up, then shifts to Crinos. Rumbling with unease, she tries to imitate Touch Deer's pose, managing to come close. Her knees are off center, but she doesn't wobble as much as she used to.
Touch Deer gestures to his feet. "Your stance is important. It grounds you. If you lose your feet, you lose the fight." He then points to his face. "Also, remember the rule of three. If you cannot see, you cannot fight." He points directly to both eyes. "If you cannot breath, you cannot fight." Neck, then chest are indicated. "If you cannot move, you cannot fight." He indicates his feet once more, then once again the hands come up before him. "Stay relaxed. Do not tense, not until a strike is about to land. If you are tense, tight, your reactions will be slow." Suddenly a flury of punches are delivered to the air before him, fast as lightning. "Be loose. Looseness brings speed. Speed brings power."
The fact that the cub flinches and draws herself in as soon as Touch Deer punches at the air may indicate the difficulty of the task ahead. Uncharacteristic whimpers tug free of the crinos throat as her ears flick and cup. She's trying to be brave, really she is. A few seconds pass, then she holds up three claws, using them to tap the bridge of her nose, near her eyes, the hollow of her throat, and then her leg. At least she understood that.
Touch Deer indicates his whole head/neck area, smiling despite the meek hesitancy of the cub. "Attack vulnerable areas, such as the eyes, face, neck, belley, and groin. Your battles should last no more than seconds. If they last longer, your skills are lacking." A pause to let that sink in, than he strikes once, out from his center to an imaginary opponent's face. "Keep your elbow facing the ground, and do not open up your center. Keep your arms in, keep your center protected." The strike is repeated, hand open as if it were a claw. His arm is bent in, staying close to the man's centerline. "Do not strike in wide, slow, drawn-back movements." He demonstrates, winding back with a hand, bending back at the waist, then delivering a powerful strike before himself, moving forward with his body as he delivers the blow. "Slow and wide is death to you. Keep it short, efficient, and fast." Again, he delivers a proper strike, from the center, only moving a third of the distance compared to the wound-up strike.
Fledgling watches with widening eyes as Touch Deer demonstrates on his invisible opponent. When she has opportunity, she timidly bats at the air in front of her face, a pale attempt at an imitation of his forward punch. ~Fast,~ she rumbles, to show she understands what he's saying. She tries another swipe, with about as much force as it would take to knock over a paper Touch Deer.
Touch Deer beings to cycle his strikes. They are short, efficient, just as he instructed, and each one is delivered to the same spot before himself. Once one hand has moved out, the other launches to the same spot as the previous 'claw' draws back to a guarded position before his chest. The movements are snappy, fast, very, very fast. "Practice this."
Fledgling huffs with disbelief when he asks her to practice what he showed. Slowly, turtle-slow, the cub flails her paws at the air, trying not to hit him, not to hit herself, and not to carve up anything in the surrounding area. A claw tangles in her chest-fur, and she yips as the snag is torn out. The cub is girly-fight-shadowboxing, and she's in rare form.
Touch Deer shakes his head, stepping to the side of the huge Crinos form of his student to watch her movements. "Keep your arms /in/. Keep your center protected. The center is where your strength comes from, and it must be protected." A pause. "Practice slowly, keep correct form, first. When you have correct form, add speed. With hours of practice, every day, speed will increase." The movements feel...unnatural, and muscles in the shoulders and back feel strained and shortly begin to burn with effort. But, Touch's moves looked so easy, so quick...and he nods as signs of such strain appear in the cub's expression. "If you feel a pull in your shoulder and back, you are doing it right. This will all feel natural with practice."
Fledgling squints so much her eyes nearly close with the effort of rehearsing the motions. It's clear that the pup has the speed and the grace to make the movements, but her lack of experience and confidence in this one task overshadow that talent. Her lips pull up a bit, showing some fang as she tries very, very hard to get her hands just right, and her arms, and her feet...and when she feels the strain, she allows herself a slight, happy chuff.
Touch Deer moves around the cub in a circle. "Good. I want you to try this." He takes a postion before her once more (two yards back, far from contact-distance) and, suddenly unleashes nine strikes. Left, right, left, right....nine times, but in the space of merely one second. The blur of arms is unreal, like a blades of a fan spinning at intense speed. Done, panting slightly, Touch explains, "That was my Rage, cub. Rage will move your arms faster than any amount of training could. Close your eyes. Imagine an enemy, imagine your death if you do not kill the enemy before he kills you. The strike! Find the Rage in you and bring it out in your strikes."
Fledgling whimpers, then sinks into a crouch, turning well away from the elder. She closes her eyes, and her ears and nose work as she tries to imagine something she fears and hates so much as to Rage against it. With another whine, her eyes pop back open, then squinch shut again. Her claws flex, and she lunges clumsily forward, her footsteps lurching as she tries to find the anger. Frustration building, she flails more and more rapidly, until she clocks herself on a low-slung branch. The tree doesn't even know what's coming-she reacts to the pain instantly, her claws burying themselves in the wood and tearing away at it with unnatural speed.
Touch Deer commands, "Control, cub! Control your Rage, or it is less than useless. Frenzy will happen if you lose yourself in your Rage. It might keep you alive, a frenzy, but kill your packmates."
Fledgling snaps her jaws at the offending branch, rubbing her arm over the spot it 'attacked' her. She gives a vague, open-pawed slap in the direction of the foliage, then walks back to Touch Deer, her ears low and her expression apologetic.
Touch Deer walks to a spot before the cub once more. "Practice that strike, like I showed, nine-times-five times, every day. And, at least once, use your Rage to speed yourself. I want you to ask Jacinta to watch you, and tell you what you do wrong, and show you what to do in addition to what I've shown." And without much of a warning, he shifts. Up to Crinos, the heavily scarred Wendigo walks two steps forward. Now within claw-striking distance of Fledgling, he raises both arms up in a fighting posture. ~Strike.~
Fledgling cringes, her tail tucking immediately and her ears pinning themselves to her head. With a frightened whine, the girl-cub takes a pitiful swing at Touch Deer. She has been paying attention-the strike comes from her chest, not the side. It's quick, but there's no power behind it at all, no intent.
Touch Deer slaps the half-hearted swipe aside easily. His own arms hardly have to move to do so, and remain positioned at his center the whole time. ~What was that?!~ The sudden words are just that...sudden. And loud, explosive, not unlike the strikes he delivered with his physical arms in homid, moments before. Whether or not understood, the tone is unmistakably aggressive. His own arms sudden dart forward, but land at her the cub's neck with only a light tap despite the speed of the movement...a testament to the experienced Ahroun's control. ~Like /that/. Hit me.~
If a crinos could shriek like a little girl, Fledgling would have. As it is, she gives a sharp, fearful yelp and waves her arms frantically in front of her, trying to fend off followup blows from the Ahroun. When the jabs come as words, she shuffles backwards again, then forwards, back, then forwards. Finally, she snaps a paw out towards the other Garou's face, telegraphing the paw-bat with every motion of her head and shoulder.
Touch Deer flips one claw over, turning it up to face the sky, simultaneously drawing the arm in against the cub's strikes. The feeling is...odd, as if the strike was not deflected at all. The 'block' merely uses the structure of the arm and wrist to re-direct the forward energy of the claw-strike harmlessly to the side. It almost feels like the strike should have hit. The block isn't a force-on-force movement, merely a clever redirection. And, the whole time, Cries' scarred arms remain positioned safely before himself, close to his center. ~Greet what comes.~
When there's no instant reciprocation, Fledgling takes another swing. It's obvious she's remembered the lesson-she bats at his face again. Then she lunges forward and lashes out with a leg, toes pointed as though she's kicking at a soccer ball. She's overextended and feels it immediately-she tries to correct her balance, and sacrifices power in the process.
Cries-No-More repeats the redirecting move, then raises one leg up in a liftting movement. It renders the kick more or less useless, and as the cub begins to try and find her footing again, he pushes at her. The movement is time perfectly, sending her stumbling a step or two back. ~Balance. Keep your feet on the ground for now, kicks are for later.~
Fledgling stumbles, ending up on all fours to keep from landing on her back. ~Feet. Ground,~ she repeats back to him, soaking up the language far quicker than the movements. She finds that strange, unfamiliar fight stance again, then makes another pathetic attempt at swatting Cries-No-More.
Cries-No-More directs another redirection into the cub, and when she draws back for another strike, his arms 'stick' to hers. As her arm moves back, his moves with it, and suddenly he is inside her comfort zone, right up in her face, and another push sends her to her heels. Not off balance, but nearly so. He steadies her with a lupine grin and steps back, shifting down for ease of communication again. "Usher what leaves. When your opponent moves back, move foward. Take his center. When they rush you, redirect. Greet the movement, don't try to stop it. When you feel a void...." He lashes out in three distinct, lightning fast strikes. "Rush the center."
Fledgling's expression is one of confusion as she tries to piece together what is being taught. When she thinks she has it, she licks her lips and grunts, her fur settling after the elder gets very up close and personal. ~Rush the center,~ she echoes, getting low again. ~Hit fast.~
Cries-No-More nods in his homid form, acknowledging the cub's response as correct. "Never try to meet force with greater force. Skill, with speed, wins the fight. You may be smaller or weaker than your enemy, but with practice, your skill and speed will keep you alive."
Fledgling flexes her claws, then gives a few more flails at the air. It's...starting to look as though she could actually injure something less sessile than that unfortunate branch. She shakes out her ruff, then cocks her head at the elder. ~Human form?~
Vera is making her way toward the Caern with slow, deliberate, and somewhat uneven steps. In Glabro and moving with a decided limp, the Shadow Lord is in a less then pleasant mood at the moment. A bulky bandage hide most of her left neck and shoulder, while a bandage bulks under her left pant leg.
Touch Deer nods, motioning downwards with his hands. "Try to practice what I've shown you, and..." With a turn, he peers into the forest beyond, then moves off in that direction, finding the approaching Lord as she moves into view. "What...?" He heads to her, but doesn't approach closer than a few yards, stopping to ask, concerned, "Who attacked you?"
Fledgling drops to homid and wraps her arms around her body self-consciously. She even retreats a couple of steps backwards when the injured Garou approaches. The cub's body language reads easily as respectful submission.
Vera brushes Touch Deer off with a simple wave of her hand, normal politeness dampened somewhat by irritability. "I was not attacked. I was merely dealing with Dwight, that is all."
Touch Deer checks himself, and crosses his arms after motioning his cub to com up to his side. Nodding to the higher-ranked Lord, he asks, bluntly, "Is he alive?"
Veronica walks to Touch Deer's side immediately, eyes locked on the Shadow Lord. More specifically, on her injuries. The cub remains quiet, however, eyes downcast, shoulders hunched.
Vera smirks, although there is no real humor or warmth in the gesture. "He is. I doubt that he has left the barn near the farmhouse, it will take time for his stomach to heal enough to allow him to move without too much discomfort."
Touch Deer's concern has left his posture, replaced with the casual yet slightly formal politeness he normally carries around the elder Lord. "A matter for your Tribe, I'm sure...but tell me of anything I should know, if he...acted wrongly." He drops that matter, promptly indicating the cub to his left. "Cub, introduce yourself."
Veronica draws herself up immediately, her arms falling to her sides as she's called on. Like a star pupil in math class, she perks up, lifts her chin just so, and straightens her back. "I am Veronica Eaglefeather, Ingtaq Cetaaq, Fledgling Little-Bird. I am a Galliard cub, one day to become a Wendigo." Pride shines off of her at those last words.
Vera nods, gesture made a little stiff by the bandage around her neck. "I am Vera Culls-The-Herd, also known as Separates-Wheat-From-Chaff. Adren Ragabash of the Shadow Lords and daughter of Black-Fang, Fostern Philodox. Granddaughter of Rides-The-Lightning, Adren Ahroun and once Warder of the Sept of Dark Snow, and great granddaughter of Finds-The-Lost, Fostern Ragabash. Elder of the Shadow Lords in the Caern of the Hidden Walk."
Introduction given, Vera rubs at her jawline, pointed teeth poking past her lips. "As for Dwight, I asked him sometime ago if he would like to spar with me. He was exceptionally rude when I originally came here, stating that I was a trumped up newcomer who had yet to prove herself. Among a number of other things. I felt that by offering to spar with him and then proving that a mere Ragabash like myself could defeat an experienced Ahroun, would knock some small amount of sense into him. While he does not seem particularly bright, he hasn't proved himself to be useless."
Touch Deer nearly snarls openly, but the motion merely reaches the level of a half-curled lip. "That offends me, that he would speak to an Adren in such a way, at my Sept. I'm sure you proved your worth, in a way he understands, through the sparring, but I would have him understand that I expect all Garou here to respect Rank, honorably, however shortly they have live here..." He quickly notes to Veronica, "Adren is our third rank, one higher than Fostern. Vera is our only Adren, and we should all be thankful to have one of such Rank seeking to aid us, here."
Veronica nods quickly, looking over Vera as she returns to meekness. "Um...elders? Can I ask a question, please? I just...I only wanted to know um...how high up was the one that attacked you, elder Vera?"
Vera chuckles dryly, the sound made ugly by her current form. "Well, if you must know Touch Deer, the first thing he asked me when I met him was why I chose to stop in a 'dump' like this. He was a mere Cliath, Veronica of the Wendigo," Vera continues, switching her attention to the cub.
Touch Deer replies, coldy, curtly, "I will speak to him."
Veronica ducks her head. "Oh..." Her next question is cut short by Touch Deer, and she goes back to staring at Vera's knees. "Thank you elder," she murmurs, giving Touch Deer a sideways glance.
Vera shrugs her uninjured shoulder. "As you wish. Although, I must say, I admire his loyalty to you. While he was less then perfectly respectful, he only became downright insulting when I mentioned the possibility that I might Challenge your for you position in this Sept. He seemed to find the mere idea highly offensive."
Touch Deer spares the cub a glance, then to Vera, he replies confidently, "His loyalty is a good thing, but not an excuse. I will let him know this."
From afar, to the room, Touch Deer sighs and sorries, I just stayed up too late last night, so I gotta try and make it to bed on time tonight. :/
Veronica listens carefully and watches even more cautiously. She is quiet as a ghost.
Vera hmm-hmmms. "It is something, that perhaps, we should talk about when you have a moment. As for Dwight, he is in the Barn. I can watch you cub for now, if you wish to go and speak to him right away."
Touch Deer nods, then shakes his head. "I will speak with him soon, but I will have to bring my cub back to our territory before I leave her. A coincedence....I was just teaching her of battle." He nods to the injured Lord, eyes on his young companion. "She is a very capable and powerful, not to mentioni wise, Garou. I know this from her Rank. My bones tell me this, my very heart. Cliaths, even Fosterns like myself, should show her throat, and respect her. She is Higher in Station...and we all must remember the fifth Law."
Veronica edges a bit closer to Touch Deer, Submission to those Higher in Station or not. The cub nods when her elder mentions the law, still not raising her eyes to meet Vera's.
Touch Deer lifts his chin a fraction. "You act well. Tell us both why this Law is important, so important that it was included in the Litany so very long ago?"
Veronica's learning kicks in, and she forces herself to relax again. "Submission to Those Higher in Station," she recites in a clear voice that doesn't really match her downcast eyes. "If Garou who don't know what they're doing don't submit to those who do, then everything gets muddled. Elders know what they're doing, and they know more about what's happening, so they can make better decisions for everyone. Therefore, we submit to their wisdom and experience."
Touch Deer nods, adding, "And in battle, in any time where quick action is needed, the group should always know who to follow. Confusion leads to death, for the group. The pack. The Sept. The Caern."
Veronica's eyes flick up to her elder. "But that's also another law. The Leader Cannot Be Challenged in a Time of War. And The Leader Can Be Challenged in a Time of Peace." The capital letters are audible in the way she speaks. She glances at Vera, then drops her eyes to a more respectful pose.
Touch Deer nods appreciatively. "That's right, and these Laws all work together to make us quick in action, when needed. Our leaders find their place in peace, and are followed in war."
Veronica nods. "Yeah. Yeah, those ones go with...Respect Those Beneath Ye," she says, figuring out the connections out loud. "Because leaders have to remember that their followers are people too, right?"
Touch Deer gestures about the trio, to the forest, sky, and ground. "Yes, and also, we must remember the connection we share. We are all Her children, every Garou, every human, every animal. We exist to protect Gaia, all of Her creation."
The cub chews her lip. "One big circle, huh?" She gets a slightly mischievous grin, and starts humming 'Circle of Life', ala the Lion King. The levity only lasts a moment, then she returns to being respectful.
Vera leans back as the listens to the conversation, staying out of it for the most part. "Rank is earned through hardship and Trial. I have earned my Rank and I expect those beneath me to at the very least, maintain a civil tone."
Touch Deer nods agreement. "And I expect the same. In this sept, ten of the twelve Tribes live and work and fight together to keep this part of the land safe from the Enemy. We must remember the Laws, to work together, not against one another."
Veronica's head cocks towards the elders as they talk, eyes narrowing as she puts their words to memory. These do seem like Important Things Worth Knowing. She returns to not speaking as well, showing no disagreement with their words.
Vera nods. "Actually, I have a question for you Touch Deer. What happened to the previous Shadow Lord Elder? The one before Dwight?"
Touch Deer shrugs very briefly. "There was an old Sept member, Cutter, that wore the Elder position, but was long absent by the time Dwight arrived. I do not know what ever happened of him."
Veronica wraps her arms around herself again, still paying close attention to what is being said. Most of her focus is on Touch Deer-the Shadow Lord only occasionally gets a glance now.
Vera frowns, expression dark and thoughtful. "I see. Kenneth warned that the last Shadow Lord elder who 'shoved their rank' in the faces of the Tribesmates ended up dead by their claws. Judging by his words and posturing, I would say that he was involved in some manner. He also stated that those who turned against this Elder would do so again."
Touch Deer's reaction is minimal, this time. Neutral in expression, he says, "He must be talking about Lucas. Lucas ordered several Garou to stay quiet, when it was known that a Garou was eating humans. He was killed."
Vera's lips thin, expression remaining dark. "I see. Lucas was once Shadow Lord Elder?"
Veronica's face pales, and she shoots Vera a suspicious look. Then she drops her gaze again and returns to staring at the Adren's feet. The arm around her stomach clutches closer, and she moves the other hand to cover her mouth delicately.
Touch Deer frowns, turns thoughtful. "No...that was...I'm sorry, I've only heard some pieces of the story, as it happened a few moons before I arrived at the Sept again, last year. Kaz, Grey, Alicia...them or anyone that isn't very new would be able to explain all of it."
Veronica edges a little closer to Touch Deer, and a little further from the Shadow Lord. Her hand stays over her mouth, and she closes her eyes.
Vera nods carefully, then emits a small grunt of pain. "I see. I will have to do that. Kenneth sounded vaguely threatening and I would like to know exactly what I am dealing with, now that I am Shadow Lord Elder."
Touch Deer pats the cub's shoulder twice, then answers Vera. "I don't think he meant it as a threat, but remembers the dishonorable actions of his old Elder, the sting of it. Was it this sparring match that won you Elder?"
Sweat springs up on the cub's brow, and as the elder's hand leaves her shoulder, she spins on her heel, grabs hold of the nearest tree and throws up as quietly as she can. Still gripping the tree, she sags and immediately starts trying to clean herself up.
Vera snorts, disgust and surprise in the noise. "Hardly. I claimed Eldership. There is no Honor in Challenging a Cliath and a straight fight is a poor Challenge to determine Eldership. If I did not have my gifts, Dwight would have won. Even then, he managed to do quite a bit of damage. I am a Ragabash, not a Ahroun. My skills lay elsewhere." Vera's dark eyes follow Veronica. "You may wish to tend to her."
Touch Deer is just beginning to say something when his cub's actions draw him to her side. "Easy cub, easy." He pats her back several more times. "I think we'll be heading back, Vera of the Shadow Lords, I'm going to try and find you again to speak about things, very soon." It's a respectful bow he provides to her, and a murmured, "All good medicine." Then it's back to the cub, helping her to steady herself is she needs it, before directing her back east.
Veronica mumbles apologies as she's herded off, even protesting that Touch Deer should be doing important elder things. "I'm sorry elder," she says in Vera's direction, before she drops to wolf form and starts the run home.
"Do not worry. Gaia watch," Vera offers in farewell, then turns and starts to walk away.
Touch Deer checks the cub's progress after they're away from Vera by a good half-mile, moving into her path of travel. Shifting up, he queries, concern in his voice. "What made you puke up there, cub?"
Fledgling stops in her tracks, padding back and forth, then shifting up to homid. "Eating people. I just..." She starts to get pale again, closes her eyes and forces herself to keep it down. "I just...thinking about it is so disgusting, and...um..." She shakes her head. "And I've got a sensitive stomach right now."
Touch Deer leans forward, voice firm. "You will gain a strong stomach, soon enough. Worse things exist, in our War, than even that."
Veronica cringes a bit. "It's just...right now. I mean, it makes me feel sick, it's just that right now it's sort of different. The first time I heard about the Law I didn't puke, it's just that right now...well...I said already."
Touch Deer nods appreciatively. "Disgusting. I understand." He looks east a moment, then back to his cub. "You'll learn to control your body, in many ways, with time and practice. We are warriors, and we train hard so that we control our bodies and minds...so that they do not control us. This all comes with experience...understand?"
Veronica examines her hair, then starts to braid it loosely. "Yes, elder," she replies, breathing shallowly for a moment. "I'll try to get it under control. It's not going to last much longer. I'll do better. I promise. And I'll practise what you showed me, too."
Touch Deer replies with a curt, "Good." Resuming four legs, he resumes the trek back to the home territory. On the way, he explains with body language that training takes time, and patience. Patience is valuable, especially as a cub, when things seem very difficult and others are doing very important things, but the cub is expected to wait, listen, and learn. With patience, comes learning. With learning, comes skill.
Veronica trails the elder on four legs, resolving at every pause to do everything as well as she can. Whenever she can, she slips in a short little tale about the things she's been seeing, doing and learning, just to prove that even left to her own devices she tries to learn. Mostly, she just agrees with the elder.
Touch Deer ends with a pass by the longhouse, gesturing with his body. Go in, take rest. Practice in the mornings, what this one has shown you. He begins to head off, but turns. This one is pleased with you. With that, he's off, disappearing quickly amid darkness and brush.
Veronica stands there for a moment, surprised, then whips around and darts into the longhouse, changing form once she's inside.
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