Blisa's training involves her biting people. I wonder if Nightbreath is starting to regret his decision to train her...?
FV:Town Center
The gravelly path through the village gets wider the further into the village it travels until at the centre of the village it splits off into four around a large firepit just waiting for any excuse for a feast or celebration and still showing the bones and a few broken mugs from the last one around the edges. A large longhouse for meetings has been built on one side of the road, standing important, decorated with carved wood, shields, weapons, furs and a large skull over the door with the large similarly fearsomely decorated house of the chief sitting proudly beside it.
Meek in comparison across the road a smaller wooden building bares a misspelled sign over the door naming it the 'Infermery'. A few trees dot the edges of the clearing but buildings take over in most directions, only the north showing some vegetation within the village walls. To the west houses seem to spring up and take over the land while noise and masses of beasts take over the south around the market and shops. Down the eastern trail the village gates can just be seen with the tavern close by.
Exits: [A]banded [W]arehouse, [T]own [H]all, [In]firm, [C]hieftain's [H]ome, [N]orth, [S]outh, [W]est, [E]ast
Nightbreath the ermine. Blisa the cat, Ferdinand the ferret and Clarissa the rat. Oakenpaw the hare.
Nightbreath stands in the town square, feeling the cold chill of winter, but unflinching. He watches the comings and goings of beasts like a wise old sailor watches the tides....in....then out, flowing and shifting.
Blisa comes dashing from he are of the orchards, with Ferdinand following close behind. The cat skids to a stop beside the ermine and goes to give him a powerful hug. "I'm faster than you!" She hollers at her bodyguard, who immediately scoops her up and flings her onto his shoulder. "Yeah, but I'm thtronger than you." The cat looks at the Seer, her green eyes filled with mirth. "Hi."
Nightbreath hugs Blisa back with shining contentment in his own eyes as well. "And how are you today, Blisa?" he asks, breathing the crisp, cold air relishingly.
Blisa giggles and says completely deadpan, "Upside down." Ferdinand wrinkles his nose as he sets her back down on her feet. "You're quite lightweight for a theven-theathon-old." The cat shrugs and cross her arms, smiling slightly. "Not my fault. Whatch doin', Nighty? Do you need any help?"
Nightbreath shakes his head. "Not at the moment, I've been meditating the last few hours...trying to find some information for your father. Thank you though. " He gets an idea. "We haven't done your unarmed combat training in a while...would you like to continue it?"
Blisa shrugs. "Sure. Clarissa, my rat guard--y'know, the one with the 13 throwing knives? Yeah, she's been training me almost every day on how to fight with my dirk and dagger. But weaponless training would be good, too. Thank you." Ferdinand nods, adding, "I would feel more comfortable if the knew more wayth of defending herthelf."
Nightbreath nods. "Let's go up to the orchard for this, where it's quiet."
FV:Orchards
You have come upon a large orchards that has apple trees in one area, pear trees in another, some peach trees and some walnut and almond trees in another area of the orchards. A couple plum trees are on the far side of the orchards and on the sides some blackberry bushes and wild strawberries. A path heads back to the fields where crops grow.
Exits: [B]ack to Fields
Blisa dashes up to a tree and starts climbing it, scratching her fearsome claws on the bark to sharpen them as she does so. Ferdinand stands at the base of the tree and watches her as she stands on a branch, holding onto the tree so as to not fall, and looks as far as she can.
Nightbreath walks serenely into the orchard, watching Blisa climb the tree with a fond look in his eye that quickly is hidden in shadow as he prepares to assume the role of the merciless trainer.
Blisa sits astride the branch and waves cheerily at the ermine. "If nobeast knew I was up here, I could drop down on them and claw their faces off." Ferdinand rolls his eyes and sits down at the base of the tree. "Or you could fall onto their weapon and get killed. Dropping rockth on them from up there ith a better idea."
"Or simply remaining undetected. Don't bring a paw to a swordfight," Nightbreath says gently. "I recommend coming down here now."
Blisa grins recklessly and slips down off the branch so she's only holding on by her forepaws. She climbs down the tree this way until she's on the lowermost branch, then she jumps down and lands, well, like a cat. Ferdinand scowls at her as she unbuckles her weapon's belt and hands it to him. "I hate it when you do that." "I know," she replies. Walking over to the ermine, she gets into an at-ready position, tail tip flicking slightly. She has grown allot since the last time he trained her in this, but she will always be a petite person.
Nightbreath drops into a crouch and extends his claws. "Today we're going to try something a little different. Today, I want you to tap into instinct rather than remaining confined by technique. Come at me."
Blisa thinks for about 5 seconds, then launches at the Seer, going to swat at his arm and leg (instead of full-out clawing him like she would in a real fight), dart to the side, then come around his back and pull on his tail.
Nightbreath angles himself to take the swats, and quickly pivots so that his tail is no longer facing Blisa's grasping attack. He sways aside from her strike and brings down a thumping paw on her lower back.
Blisa yowls, mostly in frustration, and goes to bite the paw that whacked her (but not too hard) and cling to the arm it's attached to like a fluffy limpet.
Nightbreath grimaces and quickly, skillfuly, his paw darts out like liquid, grasping Blisa around the neck in mid-lunge, and he holds her at arm's length from his body.
Blisa sees the paw coming and starts to get out of the way. She almost makes it, too. As the back of her tunic gets grabbed, she twists in her clothes and goes to bite that paw. She tries to wrap her paws around the arm and becomes a dead weight, trying to pull the Seer over.
Nightbreath staggers, but spreads his legs so that he remains braced upright. He whirls in a circle with a growl, thrashes in order to break the little kitten's grip.
Oakenpaw ambles in leaning heavily on his walking staff
Blisa keeps a hold of the ermine's arm, biting a little harder and extending her claws. Ferdinand is sitting at the base of a tree, watching the training exercise and being glad that he's not the one doing it.
Nightbreath finally, with a growl, whirls his arm in a backhand stroke, trying to hurl Blisa off him from sheer velocity. The Seer's shirt--a simple tunic--tears from Blisa's claws digging into it. In his spinning, he releases the back of Blisa's tunic as well.
Oakenpaw makes his way over, slowly to Ferdy, the hare leaning gently against him.
As soon as Blisa feels her shirt being released, she lets go of the ermine's arm, dragging her feet on the ground to keep from being tossed away. Landing on all fours, she leaps backwards and grins up at him. "How was that? I have to do stuff like this to keep Basil under control." Ferdinand is very uncomfortable with the hare being so close to him--the ferret is more of an introvert. He smiles in a strained way. "Hello."
Oakenpaw the hare tries to sit up "Sorry Ferdy ol Chap, I am feeling abit under th weather wot?"
Nightbreath nods, flashing a quick smile. "Very good. But remember to save instinct for when you need it most--when all else fails, you must let go of technique and simply unleash everything you have. Keep it as a secret weapon, for when, again, all else fails. That is the difference between calculated fury and mindless berserker rage. Use it to your advantage, as a surprise. But for most instances, stick to the other techniques I've taught you. I'll go get some food so we can have a quick snack." He nods to Oakenpaw and heads out of the orchard for now.
Ferdinand goes to help the hare get more comfortable leaning on the tree, and smiles. "I'm thorry to hear that. Perhapth you thoud be at home in bed, inthtead of wandering around outhtide where it'th chilly." Blisa stands and smiles happily, skipping over to her bodyguard as she tries to remember the Seer's advice. Picking up her belt and weapons from beside the ferret, she buckles them on and grins at the hare. "Hi, Oakey. How are you today?" She is still petite for an almost-7-season-old, but she doesn't seem to even notice.
Oakenpaw looks at Ferdy "You're a good friend Ferdy, I like being out and about and helpin ya wot?" he opens his arms"goy a hug for Oakie there Blissa?"
Blisa hugs the hare, then plops down beside him. "You didn't answer my question, silly. How are you?" Ferdinand brushes an imaginary crumb of his shirt to try and hide his slight embarrassment. He doesn't get compliments allot.
Oakenpaw says, "oh I am afeeling a touch under th weather..but nothin serious...out enjoyin the air"
Blisa pats the hare's paw. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you get well soon. Are oyu sure oyu shouldn't be resting?" Ferdinand pulls out an unfinished grass belt from his pocket and starts weaving it as he listens to the conversation.
Oakenpaw says, "Oh I will be fine, wot I really came out to see if Ferdy, our hero in th shadows"
Ferdinand buries his face in a paw. "What?" Blisa just laughs at his reaction and asks the hare. "Why do you say he's a hero? I mean, I know why I'd call him a hero, but what makes him a hero in your eyes?"
Oakenpaw says, "he is a guardian, a protector...of you...and a companion, what other way to define a Hero"
Blisa nods in agreement. "I like it. I also like how he turns the approximate colour of a beet when anybeast compliments him." Ferdinand, who is blushing madly, glares at the young cat, silently wishing that everyone would stop making him the center of attention.
Oakenpaw asks, "ahh well We will stop makin im th center of attetion as a reqrd wot?" he smiles "you looked pretty good out there Blissa m dear"
Ferdinand goes back to weaving his belt as Blisa sits up straighter, smiling happily. "Why, thank you. My bodyguards have been training me almost every day. It's been f--" she is cut off as her rat guard, the female with the 13 knives strapped to her baldrics, comes running up. Clarissa the rat slides to a stop and says, "Miss Blisa, we need you to come and talk to Basilisk. He won't stop whining, and I'm afraid one of my fellow guards is going to stab him." The cat nods and quickly hugs the hare. "See ya later, Oakie. get well soon, and don't get hurt. Bye!" she waves as she runs off, with the bodyguards hard on her heels.
Thanks for reading!
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