Larkcall Lowlands Duty Bound

@Wraith

At the meeting Cheedo had declared she wanted to work toward being a scout.  She knew what it meant to be a scout but she wasn't really sure she was ready for it. After the realization that she wasn't as changed as she had thought she was beginning to wonder if she'd made a wrong decision. It had been quite the blow to realize that her fresh start wasn't going as well as she had hoped it was.

It couldn't matter though, she said she wanted to be a scout so now she had to follow through with that.  Maybe one day it could help her rebuild the confidence she'd once had when she was younger. For now she needed to keep her word a day not change her mind, for her pack and for herself.

So the best way to get started was to take Wraith up on his offer of help. Deciding it was best to get started early she went looking for him almost as soon as she'd woken. “Wraith,” she said quietly as she approached him when she had finished finally tracked the alpha down, “I was wondering if I might have a word with you?”

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Role Demonstration: Teacher 1/1

The Whitestone Alpha was a creature of habit and waking before dawn fully broke to patrol the borders was among the first on a list of set activities he performed each day. When @Cheedo found him, the male was already on his way back the Monadnock where @Piety no doubt still slumbered. He was grateful his mate was comfortable enough to rest fully, though if Morganna's habits near the end of her pregnancy were anything to go by, it wouldn't last forever. Spotting the sable woman, he wagged his tail in warm welcome.

It pleased the large brute that she was comfortable enough with him to approach. There were others, he knew, that were readily intimidated by his size and would rather not come to him especially during a time that he was usually left alone or accompanied by Piety. Her presence was a welcome break from the monotony of boring patrols and he was sure to show it in his posture.

At Cheedo's request, Wraith dipped his head and stepped forward to nibble warmly along the fur at her crown. "Of course, Cheedo. I'm always happy to speak with you." From her posture, he could at least tell there was no pressing matter that required immediate action. She struck him as a shy woman; he was looking forward to seeing her break out of her shell. "Walk with me," he encouraged, bumping her shoulder with affection. Rather than heading back towards home, he led her back out on another path he rarely traveled on his patrols simply for a change of pace. "What can I do for you?"

(This post was last modified: Apr 17, 2017, 11:10 PM by Wraith.)

A role was something that Cheedo hadn't ever really actively sought nor had she really thought about it.  Now in Whitestone with it having been brought up at the meeting she had given it some thought before she had declared the role she wanted.  Hunter would have made the most sense for her, she had become very skilled in the two years being on her own.  That role wasn't going to get her what she wanted, scout she felt would.  It would force her to push herself to become more comfortable in her own skin as well as help her with her fresh start. This had become all too important with a new home and a new pack in new lands.

When she had first come into contact with the large make he had been an intimidating figure to her.  As time had passed he had proved to always be friendly and patient with her which had made her feel much more comfortable around him.  So when she found him and approached him to speak about her role she wasn't overcome with an overwhelming uneasy feeling.

As always he was friendly and kind with her which set her more at ease.  The affection he showed her was returned with a lick to his chin. “Thank you,” she stated to show she appreciated the time he was giving to her.  She nodded when he asked her to walk with him and bumped her shoulder. Falling into step next to him she followed him down the path that he'd led her down which was one she didn't use too often. She preferred the more used paths for her daily activities.  He gaze went up to him when he asked what he could do for her, “At the meeting you offered to help with my scout training and I was hoping that still stood? If it does I would like to take you up on it.”

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Role Demonstration: Teacher 2/3

She was a quiet and muted woman and while she may have been more suited immediately to the role of hunter - he'd seen her proficiency firsthand before - he could see the potential for her chosen role as well. It wasn't just about what she could do for the role, but what it could do for her in turn. Wraith liked to think of each role as a lesson, though he remained stubbornly oblivious to the lesson his new leadership taught, and that of scout would teach @Cheedo not only independence, but confidence. He found it was something she sorely lacked, but not for lack of skill. The black man couldn't quite pin down what had her doubt so much in her own capabilities and completely missed the irony of the blind leading the blind.

"It does," he affirmed gently, his smile kind and tail relaxed. The trail they walked led southwest, towards Wild Rye Fields territory, though they would get no where close to the other pack. But the first thing she was to learn as scout was to always remain aware of pack boundaries. Disturbing the boundaries of other packs was a crime, irregardless of whether it was done on accident on on purpose, though punishment was most assuredly harsher for those who knowingly committed such an atrocity.

As they reached their own borders, Wraith came to a stop and sat. On a deep sigh, he closed his eyes serenely as if to encourage her to do the same. "Tell me what you hear. What you smell. What you feel." The lesson began in much the same as those he'd given Kara and Odin. Of course, Morganna's brood had been stubborn and more apt to become distracted, but they were decent pupils and he expected Cheedo to be better still, courtesy of her maturity.

(This post was last modified: Apr 17, 2017, 11:10 PM by Wraith.)

The idea of the role of scout did scare the small agouti, the thought of going to the borders of other packs and speaking to wolves who out ranked her. All of the other things the role entailed made her tremble just thinking about it but she knew it was what she needed.  If she never became comfortable in her role she would never be more than the trembling creature that she was.  It wasn't something that she particularly liked about herself, how scared of the world she was.  The fact she always sought the protection of others though she did feel she was slowly growing away from that.  Mittani had started out as her protector after Craw and now he was more than that after the hours they'd spent together. She did not seek the protection from the man in front of her besides that a leader offered any of their subordinates.

She offered him a small smile when he confirmed that his offer still stood, “I would like to learn what you can teach me.” She didn't know what all Wraith could teach her but she was willing to accept anything that would help her to be a good scout. Cheedo wanted to be as good of a one as she was a hunter. She also knew it would take a lot of hard work, she hadn't become as skilled at hunting as she was over night. She followed Wraith down the trail recognizing they were headed for the border if their territory.

When they did finally come to the border Wraith had taken a seat which she took to mean they would be there for a time.  Taking his cue she sat back on her haunches and closed her eyes as he had done. She was a little perplexed by what he asked of her next not sure how it would help but she did as she was asked. For a long moment she remained quiet as she listened to the sounds around her. “I hear birds chirping in the distance,the rustle of the taller grasses in the breeze, and the crunch of snow as a rabbit moves across it.” That wasn't everything she heard but to list everything could have them there the rest of the day. “I smell the snow, that rabbit, and each of our packmates.  Under my paws I feel the snow and the movement of my fur in the breeze and the heat from the sun.” She wasn't sure if those were the kinds of answers he was looking for and she hoped that if they weren't he would help her to understand what it was he was looking for.

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There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

Role Demonstration: Teacher 3/3

It felt nice to settle back into the comfortable role of teacher again. A pang of sadness reminded him again of how much he missed his previous pupils and found himself wondering how they were faring in their travels. Maybe one day, Odin and Kara would return to the lands they knew as home after satisfying their wanderlust alongside their mother.

With his eyes still closed, Wraith's lips turned up wryly in amusement. He could practically feel @Cheedo's questions radiating towards him in the pregnant pause before she relented to his instructions in acceptance of the lesson. Her answers were what he expected, and he was pleased she'd given him the one detail he'd wanted most. Opening his eyes again, he turned his large muzzle her way and smiled kindly. "Yes. Perfect. As a scout, it is important to use all of your senses at every moment. To know the terrain, to learn it, you must be open to all that it can tell you. Including," he murmured with emphasis, "knowing to whom the territory belongs. You must never cross the borders of another pack without invitation. I'm sure you know this, but it is worth it to reiterate again the importance. One foolish act on the part of a scout can cause a disaster for pack relations and even lead to wars."

Wraith shared a small private moment to himself in the pause before continuing, nodding as he thought of his own lessons under his father those years ago. "Another thing to know is your limits. While you're still learning them, it is best to find out in the safety of known territory or with a partner. Know how far you can run in a day, how fast, how long. Know the stars above to guide you at night and the direction the sun rises and sets each day so that even in the strangest of territories, you can find home." His head first looked east and then up and west to follow the sun's path in the sky. "The stars you can study easily from atop the Monadnock at night. I can point them out to you if you'd like. Piety knows some of their names as well and probably better ways to remember them." He only knew them from the long, exhausting lessons from a grizzled great uncle as a pup who had been tireless in his teachings much to his and his sibling's chagrin.

There was certainly much more to impart to her, but the black man took a moment to see if she had questions. Patiently, he inclined his head in invitation for any, but would continue on if there were none.

When she'd come to Wraith for help with her scouting role Cheedo had not been expecting a lesson. Once it had started however she was looking forward to what knowledge the large man had to impart on her.  She did have some knowledge of what a scout did but it wasn't something that she had been in direct contact with while on Ritter.  Her role there had been much different and not one that she felt she'd succeeded at.  She shook those thoughts from her mind as she concentrated on the request that Wraith had asked of her.

For a long moment she'd sat with her eyes closed analyzing what she heard, smelled, and felt.  Cheedo wanted to be as accurate as possible when giving the information to her teacher.  As she gave him the details she tried to be as specific as she could, she felt it would only help him to guide him better in how to instruct her.  Her tail swept happily across the snow as he told her how good of a job she'd done. She nodded as he spoke of using all of her senses, “I must always be aware of my surroundings and aware where the borders of the other packs lie,” she reiterated d in case he felt she needed to be corrected.  If she didn't voice what she was thinking he couldn't help her to improve, “Avoiding conflict with packs is imperative to a successful interaction. Before came here I didn't have to worry about accidentally crossing a border I shouldn't but here it's different, you always have to be aware of the general vicinity of the packs so you can become aware of the borders before you create a problem that could have been avoided. I always want to portray Whitestone in the best light when encountering the other packs.” Cheedo looked at her paws as she spoke, “I'm sure you're aware my social skills do leave a bit to be desired.” The fact was she had been on her own so long her etiquette at a  borders required some work, she was sure of that.

Once he had explained that point of the lesson which she felt had made sense when he told her he went on into more advice.  Things that she felt were common sense but being new to the role she hadn't thought of.  Things like how far she could run and the names of the stars for night travel.  “I will work on learning my limits and making them better but the stars and learning their names I hadn't thought about that for knowing which way to travel.” Since she had rarely if ever traveled at night it wasn't something she'd ever need to know before.

He spoke about studying the stars from atop the Monadnock and how he or Piety could teach her.  She wanted to learn the stars, it was important to her so that she could be good at her role.  She also knew she would need help if she were going to learn them.  A thought did occur to her and one that she thought might be good for everyone involved.  It would also force her a little out of her comfort zone which could help her get started on her new role.

“What if one night the three of us stayed up and went over the star’s?” She suggested thinking that not only would it be a way for her to learn but something they could do together as pack member's. “The rest of the pack could join in too,” she added.

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Teacher Demonstration 4/3

He waited patiently as Cheedo repeated his lesson in her own words for confirmation and nodded with each point made. "Yes. Good," he praised, as he once had with Odin and Kara. Wraith always had been a fan of the positive reinforcement method of teaching rather than punishment. It helped whenever a mistake was made that his pupils felt comfortable coming to him to admit what happened so they may learn from it in a non-threatening, non-judgemental manner.

As Cheedo mentioned her social skills in a self-deprecating manner, Wraith only shook his head. "It will come with time," he reassured. "Practice makes perfect; the more you interact, the less daunting it will seem." He had faith that she would gain the confidence she needed to suit the role she wanted. That she paid so much attention and so intently took to the lesson was further proof that she would make a great scout. Attention to detail was another requirement and she already had that down to an art.

"Knowing the stars isn't a foolproof method," Wraith warned. "There are some nights when either clouds or storms block your view of the sky. In those times, you'll really have to rely on your sense of smell and direction to get home. The stars are a guide, but they can't always be there to help. I find it helps if a make a visual map in my head of everywhere I've been. That way, I can always return to somewhere familiar." But he was more than willing to spend a clear night up on the Monadnock with as many who were interested in learning. At her suggestion, he beamed. "I'm sure we can do that." At the very least, it would be an activity his very pregnant wife could handle without tiring herself too much.

"Do you have any other questions?" he asked gently.

With such an important lesson Cheedo wanted to make sure she didn't miss any part of the information that Wraith gave her. She understood that by being a scout she represented the pack and especially the alphas.  Wraith and Piety had been very good to her so she wanted to make sure she did her best job for them.  Her tail swept the ground behind her when she received praise for getting all the points correct. “I am sure that I can handle those points.” She'd always been careful of pack borders and usually have them a wide berth to avoid the wolves within the boundaries. It was different now, she would have to approach the border and interact with those wolves which brought up another worry for her.

She wasn't the social butterfly that other wolves were, for a long time she preferred her own company or Mittani's.  Her visit's to the pale man were usually on her terms, when she felt comfortable.  That was until she had moved here and they were on his terms but lately he hadn't been around. She expressed to Wraith her worry about her social skills but he didn't seem worried and in fact he was hopeful that they would get better.  “I know it won't come easy,” she said meeting his gaze, “But I really do want to become better at it. I think starting to interact more with our packmates would be a good start.” They were wolves she could become more comfortable with at her pace which might help her ease into talking with strange wolves faster.

She knew he was right about the stars, while the sky's were clear the could be used as a guide but we're useless otherwise. “You’re right, they aren't always available but when they are it is a good tool to know how to use.  Having that skill can only help to make me a better scout.” He spoke of making a visual map in his head of the places that he'd been, Cheedo became thoughtful of this as she liked the idea of it.  She just wasn't sure how to go about it. “How do you make the maps in your head?” She asked though she did feel it might be a stupid question.  Knowing how he did it might help her to have an idea of how she could make them in her own head.  A smile crossed her inky lips when he approved of her idea.  “Great! I think it will be helpful for the other members and maybe even fun.” How often did they get to have fun being so worried about survival.

He then asked if she had any questions, Cheedo shook her head, “I don’t think so but if I do I will be sure to ask.” She thought it was best to work on what she'd learned then and see what she might need to improve on.

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