Out into the World(Wilderness Survival)

[Eqwina]

Thera mentally went over her list one last time. She wasn’t allowing the trainee’s to take much beyond their horses, but she was always prepared just in case. It had been a few years since she’d led a class like this and this time they were going to venture almost a week out of Tar Valon. The class had been slated for 10 days, but she was prepared for as much as 30. Kadrin Gaidan had her instructions for that time and knew what to do in case of some unforeseen event.

 

Shouldering her saddle bags Thera locked the door to her quarters and saunter out in the dim light of morning. She paused at the announcement board to see if anyone else had responded to her notice.

 

Wilderness Survival

Tired of being cooped up with in the Tower walls? Care to see how you’d fair against the elements? Sign up today, we leave in one week.

 

Thera Trakelyn

Mistress of Trainees

 

She was happy at the response to her notice. Even a few months’ gone people would have been too afraid to spend a week alone with the horrible Mistress of Trainees, things were beginning to change for her. By the time Thera reached the stables she was smiling and humming quietly. She gave BlueRose a quick once over; she trusted the Tower’s grooms, but she was in the habit of always taking care of what was hers. After so many months in the stable the stallion frisked, but Thera only hummed a little louder and murmured to him quietly as she tightened the straps.

 

The trainees had been instructed to meet her at the North Gate just a First rung. The bells were peeling loudly over the city as the bridge came into view. The only other sound as she approached was the creak of her saddle and BlueRoses’ hooves on the paving stones.

 

“G’Day all. Are you all ready for a chance to be out of the city?” Her voice was chipper, but her sharp eyes scanned the faces. She dismounted and let her horses reins dangle. “Before we set out all of you turn out your pockets, open your belt pouches, and empty your saddle bags.” They all stared at her as if she’d lost her mind, but when she slapped her hands together they all jumped to obey. The list of what they were allowed to bring was very precise and she would not abide cheating. “Hurry up now, the sooner this is done the sooner were on our way.”

[Sieve]

Perivar woke early as was his routine.  He started with his run then praticed his forms for almost an hour though the cool night sky still held its darkness over the city.  He noticed the others going about their business as well.  With everyone out and about it seemed as though someone had kicked an anthill.  He was pretty sure that if he checked the barracks he would have found them empty.

 

It was time to leave, he had to be at the North Gate by first so he picked up his saddle bags then hurried to the stables.  A few of the others were also arriving to see to their horses.  It was not that any of them did not trust the grooms though it was always wise to double check that your horse and tack were well.  It never hurt to make sure that your saddle girth was tight and your equipment secure.  He wasn't sure if everyone owned a horse though any without would have made arrangements to borrow one from the Tower's stock.

 

Letting Nightdancer's reins drop to the stable floor Perivar tossed the groom a silver mark.  The boy smiled as he caught the silver coin giving Perivar a small bow with an even wider smile when he realized it was silver.  He was sure the groom had probably received gold marks from some of the Aes Sedai though a silver mark was nothing to scoff at. 

 

Perivar was not carefree with his coin though it was always wise to properly reward those who helped you or performed a service for you.  Anyway Perivar did not have much else to spend his coin on here at the Tower.  Most of what he arrived with along with thrice that sat in the Tower's bank, it was a considerable sum even for a minor noble's son.  About a week after he arrived he had received a note from the Tower's bank that his father had sent him more coin which was deposited in his account.  He had no idea what he would need so much coin for, he really had very few expenses. 

 

Perivar looked at his saddle bags as he secured them to his mount.  He thought of checking them again though he had already done so half a dozen times making sure that he had all that he needed.  He wanted to bring more but there was only so much that one could bring lest they wanted to walk and use their mount as a pack horse.

 

Nightdancer stood still as if he was hobbled while Perivar worked around him.  Perivar paused to rub the stallion's neck then scratched his head before handing him a carrot.  The stallion noisily chomped on the carrot shifting his weight dutifully as Perivar lifted each of his hooves to check their shoes for cracks while maing sure they were secure.  They were all in good condition of course or else the stable hands would have had the farrier replace the damaged shoes prior to his arrival. 

 

With everything in order Perivar half vaulted himself into the saddle, he was eager to get on his way.  He would have usually waited 'til he was outside the stable to mount though he didn't want to delay another minute.  There had not been many opportunities for him to leave the Tower, honestly there had been none at all until now so he jumped at the chance to attend this class.  It felt good to be in the saddle knowing that he was going somewhere else other than the training yards.

 

Nightdancer was eager too, Perivar had excersized the glossy black colored warhorse almost daily though he would be ready to stretch his legs.  As soon as he exited the stable Perivar eased the pressure on the reigns and spurred the half-trained warshorse to a gallop.  He received funny looks from those who were about though he rode as if the dark one were at his stirrups.  Nightdancer's shoes rang out loudly on the paving stones to announce his passage so that those in the streets could hear him coming a mile away.  In the dim light he must have seemed like a wraith to those who were still sleep eyed.

 

He laughed as the wind brushed his face causing his twin braids to flap wildly behind his head.  Perivar drew reign as he reached the North Gate then dismounted taking a few minutes to walk Nightdancer to who seemed eager to be galloping again.  He was still walking his warhorse when Mistress Thera came into sight on her mount. 

 

The Tower's bells peeled loudly to announce the Mistress of Trainees arrival, well actually they marked first call though it seemed too strange a coincidence that Mistress Thera timed it perfectly with her arrival.  Her voice was chipper though her sharp eyes scanned her trainees. 

 

He should of known she would check though he stared wide eyed as she ordered them to turn out there pockets, open belt pouches and empty their saddle bags.  It was not that he was surprised though he was meticulous about how he packed.  Emptying everything bothered him as it was neatly was placed just so.  She urged them on, obviously she was eager to go as well. 

 

Perivar had his hand and a half sword strapped to his back, his shield slung from his saddle's pommel laying on the horse's left side while on the right side was his unstrung horse bow tucked into a special leather pouch that looked more like a scabbard with a quiver affixed to it.  A blanketroll was strapped behind his saddle's high cantle.  More importantly a couple of water skins hung from his saddle.  In the borderlands when they ventured into the blight water was the most important thing, anything in the blight was considered tainted and you could not hope ot find drinking water.

 

He emtpied the contents of his pouch, in it were a few coins, fint and steel, some leather cord, , a snare for catching small game, a pocket knife, as well as a few other little odds and ends.  Then he emptied his saddle bags, he had a change of clothes, a cloak, dried meat, cheese, a couple small loaves of bread, a sewing kit to repair clothes or to stitch wounds, a spare bow string, and a few other items.  He waited patiently for Mistress Thera to inspect his belongings.   

[Jehaine]

Melenis was leaning against a nearby wall, pack tied to her back. Having been born and raised in a city-state, she had never ridden a horse before in her life, and had no saddlebags with her. She wore pretty much the same clothing she had arrived at the Warder Yards in, and slanted across her back was the ashandarei she hardly ever went without. It'd take a direct order for her to leave the weapon behind, and sometimes even that wasn't enough.

 

Still, the order to clear her pockets and the belt pouch was heard, and she wasted little time neatly organising the items in rows. She had a blanketroll on her shoulder, and a travel pack containing a waterskin and a smaller, reserve one in case of a leak, her belt pouch of course, some rations, some changes of clothes and a small diary. The diary looked rather worn though, but judging by the way she put it down on the ground with the other items it wouldn't come as a surprise to discover she was as attached to it as to her ashandarei.

 

Scanning Perivar's belongings from where she was standing, she checked to see if she had forgotten anything. There would undoubtedly be some items she hadn't thought of, this being the first time camping, but it couldn't be helped. There was a first time for everything, and she had packed everything she thought she'd need. If there would be anything else, she'd just have to find out about it the hard way.

 

 

Melenis

Can't use flint

[Quisalas Selene]

Jasine has skipped his exercises and forms this morning because of the trip - he would not likely find time to do them while gone and he didn't see the harm - and instead had gotten up early to tend to the horses.  He debated with himself, whether to take Selene's filly Rao or his own Brownie, but in the end he went with sturdiness over flash.  Rao was undeniably prettier, with action that was beautiful to look at and an impressive conformation.  Brownie, on the other hand, was the world's horsiest horse.  He didn't have a feature that was either out of place or outstanding.  He was placid, but responded well when asked to go, and he was a gelding.  He knew Perivar and Thera both had stallions and he decided that a young filly who decide it was mating season would be the less wise choice of mount.  Brownie it is, then.

 

He'd let Brownie rest yesterday in anticipation of today's trip, and the horse gave his version of high spirits - a whickering snort and a shake of his mane before he dropped his nose to snatch up a piece of hay that had fallen to the floor.  The horse chewed as Jasine checked his hooves, cleaned them out, and then quickly moved through braiding the animals' mane and the top half of his tail.  The braiding would keep the horse's hair from snagging on anything during the ride; Jasine expected to end up riding through dense brush at some point and a mane full of burs and sticks could be a three-hour job to untangle.  He'd done the same with his own hair when he woke, and only the shorter front of his hair had fallen free from the weaving.  The last thing he did before tacking up the horse was to wrap his front legs in sturdy bandages, which helped protect the horse's legs from the impact of running hard, which he didn't know if they would do, and prevent minor scratches and cuts from brush, which he fully expected them to encounter.

 

After Brownie was tacked up and all of Jasine's stuff carefully stowed away, he looped an arm through the horse's reins and led him at an easy walk to the front gates.  He got there just after Perivar, the man had passed him while he was walking Brownie and once they had both stopped at the gates he waved to him.  Jasine was waiting for Thera to arrive before he mounted, but he was surprised when, instead, the woman dismounted as well and then told them to empty their belongings.

 

Jasine's belongings said something about the fact that he loved his horse.  In one side of the saddle bags, there was a hoof pick to remove rocks and dirt, some salve that would keep infection from setting into any cuts, a very thin horse sheet that folded up to about the size of a small book, a small bundle of twine, and a pair of hobbles.  The other saddle bag held his own belongings: three pairs of socks, a clean shirt, sewing needle and some coiled sinew that was included more for stitching up the living rather than their gear, a second knife identical to the one he wore on his belt, two coils of string for setting snare traps, a whet stone, and a flint rock.  He had a single sizable waterskin hanging from his saddle on one side and a bedroll behind the cantle.

 

He also offered out the short bow, quiver with 25 arrows, the sword at his hip, his pouch of money that held about 14 silver marks and 3 gold.  He patted down his pockets to see if there was anything else he had on his person and found three of the leather thongs that he used in braiding Brownie's mane, a small comb, four sugar cubes, half a carrot, and two handkerchiefs.  After a bit more searching, he pulled a small dagger from the outside cuff of his boots that he was only barely proficient with.

 

With a grin, he pointed a thumb at his horse and said "I feel compelled to confess that Brownie doubles as a fine pillow when he's of the mood to lay down and cuddle like he did as a foal.  That's pretty rare these days, though, so I don't think he should count as being against the rules."  He looped an arm over the horse's neck and the animal lipped at the top of his boot amiably.

[Eqwina]

Thera’s lips twitched with the effort of not smiling, but the rest of her face maintained its stern mask. She paced the line of trainees pausing to finger one item or another and tuck away what she felt was inappropriate. Everyone’s flint and steel were the first things to go, followed closely by the food. The first she tucked away in her saddle bags the rest she discarded like rubbish. “It is well that you all brought your weapons because we are going to be finding all of our own food.” Thera had her bow slung across her back and a full quiver at her hip. 

 

“Pack up, and as soon as the pack horses arrive we’ll be on our way.” As if they had heard her call two Tower grooms came up walking a horse a piece, both packed lightly with emergency supplies. They carried no more than they would with a mount on their back and would serve nicely as remounts should anything happen.

 

Putting one boot in the stirrup she vaulted onto BlueRoses’ back and calmly folded her hands on the pommel while she waited for the trainees to stow their belongings. Dipping into her belt pouch she produced two sliver marks and pressed them into the hands of the smiling grooms. Strictly speaking they were not supposed to except extra coin, but Thera had never paid that rule any mind. They provided excellent service; and she had yet to find fault in their work.

 

Having packed the lightest Perivar was the first mounted and ready to ride followed closely by Melenis and finally Jasine. With a small smile Thera tossed the reins of the packhorses to Jasine. “You’ve got first turn leading since you were the last to mount.”  She allowed BlueRose to pace slowly back and forth as she explained the finer points of their journey.

 

“ We are heading towards Arafel, more specifically the woods between here and there. I expect all of you to listen to me and stay close. I refuse to lose any of you because you foolishly think you know enough to venture out on your own. Even though we are away from the Tower all of my rules still apply. Does everyone understand?” Her hard gaze rested on each of them until they nodded. “Very good” Nodding to herself more than to them she set a ground eating pace once they had crossed the shinning bridge.

 

Less than a mile outside of the city she veered North East, just off the main road. For a time they trotted parallel to the road just out of site with in the trees. It would take more than a day before they truly entered the woods, but she wanted them to forget civilization as soon as possible. The sun had still not crested its noon day peak when they stopped in a small clearing to water the horses. Smiles wreathed the faces of all her trainees; they had to be happy to be out of site of the city walls.

 

“Now is as good a time as any to discuss what this class will entail. Some of what we learn may be review, others not. We will learn how to create a shelter from what is around you, forge a fire without your flint and steel, make medicines that can help to keep you alive, find water where there appears to be none, how to make snares and hunt without the use of a sword, a bow, or even a belt knife. Hopefully after this class you will be able to survive no matter where your travels in life take you.”

 

[Jehaine]

Despite herself, Melenis almost dove on the small worn diary after she was told to pack her belongings again. Though she had honestly forgotten to bring some flint, she was a bit surprised to see everyone's rations go. Then again, this was Survival class after all...

 

Holding the pommel of the saddle in a death grip, she let the horse trot after Thera's, somewhat grateful for Jasine being behind them. To be honest, she wasn't really doing anything, the horse seemed more than a little familiar with traveling, requiring little to no action on her behalf in terms of staying in line. Though she still heard what Thera was telling them about the class, she summoned every scrap of concentration she could focus trying not to fall off the horse, which only seemed to snort at her antics.

 

She almost did fall off though, when she heard Arafel be mentioned. Arafel, she knew, was one of the Borderlands. Arafel was to the north of Tar Valon. And, more importantly, Arafel was cold. Especially to someone born and raised in the south like her. Gritting her teeth, she did her best to focus on not falling out of the saddle as she silently thanked her grandfather for those Flame and the Void lessons. She'd find out just how detached you could become real soon, she was certain of that.

 

 

Melenis

Is going to want more layers of clothes.

[Quisalas Selene]

Jasine mounted easily once he had everything repacked just-so and was doubly glad he'd chosen Brownie over Rao when Thera gave him the task of leading the pack horses.  Rao hadn't been trained at all yet at leading other horses and he'd have had to be worried the whole trip about the filly suddenly deciding she needed her personal space and kicking at the other animals.  He murmured soft words to the pack animals as he took a moment to meet them before nudging Brownie's side with his heel and encouraging the horse to follow Melenis's.  He noticed right away that Melenis was less than comfortable in the saddle, but didn't say anything about it until they were out of the bridge town and moving across the flat plain towards the woods.

 

Holding the pack animals' leads in one hand, he brought Brownie up almost to even with Melenis and leaned with his weight in one stirrup to talk to the girl.  "Relax, Melenis.  The horse knows what he's doing, all you need to do is sit down in the saddle, use your weight in those stirrups to balance, and relax.  If you get all tensed up the horse will feel it and wonder why you're scared.  Horses trust their riders, and if your body language tells the horse there's a reason to be scared, he'll believe you.  And then he'll be scared too, and scared horses do silly things."  Jase set his hand on her lower back, trying to settle the girl and praying to the Light that the girl wouldn't mistake his actions as being forward.  He'd gotten a fair bit of that in his time at the Yards.

 

"That's right, you're getting there.  Horses have a natural rhythm, just like all things.  Try listening and feeling the horse, try to find his rhythm and then move with it."  Jasine nodded as he spoke, still using a low, soft tone that should help to soothe the horse and, hopefully, the trainee as well.  "You've shown a lot of rhythm and quickness in adapting to new things in your training, think of this the same way.  That horse under you is a sparring partner and you have to read how he moves and react appropriately.  Only instead of looking for a chance to whack him on the head with that stick of yours, you want to feel where he's going to move so it doesn't surprise you when he does it."

 

Jasine stuck by her for a little while, pulling his hand back once she was a little more confident and relaxed.  He probably could have left it up to Mistress Thera to correct the girl in her riding, but he just couldn't stand by and watch someone on a horse who didn't look like they enjoyed it.  Riding horses was Jasine's favorite thing in the world, except maybe for kissing Thera.  He dropped back behind Melenis again to leave her to work through getting used to the horse under her and to hide the flush that heated his cheeks.  Assuming the void helped him recover his composure and it also let him focus on something other than the girl awkwardly sitting her horse.

 

Arafel?  His gaze went to Perivar naturally enough, the boy was the only person he knew from Arafel.  At least, the only one that he knew was from there, there were plenty of tower guards that he didn't have the slightest idea where they were from, and not a few of them wore their hair in braids like Perivar.  He knew Thera said they're be going to the woods between here and Arafel, but he wondered just how far from Tar Valon they would be.

 

[Sieve]

Perivar just shrugged as Mistress Thera took a few items from each of them.  On the whole each had done a good job packing what was needed.  Everyone had taken the essentials, noe pack too heavy and none too light.  He watched as Mistress Thera took his rations for which he frowned openly.  Perivar was stockier than the other trainees and tended to eat a little more than them as a result. 

 

His father always commented on his size, shorter than most Borderlanders though wider as well.  He always said he looked more like the son of a blacksmith.  His father also chided him that he would be better off becoming a blacksmith, Perivar had always jumped into things without much thought for his safety.  His skill with a sword had not matched his courage which often caused him trouble. 

 

Perivar's mind drifted back to food.  We will have to find our own food, there has to be something edible wherever they were going.  He hoped there would be, he was grumpy when he was hungry.  What is done is done he thought, they would find food.

 

Mistress Thera told them too pack so he hurriedly threw his stuff in his bags.  He usually would have been more methodical with the placement of his belongings though he was eager to be on their way.  He was so focused on the task at hand that he did not see the two grooms arrive with the packhorses.  He vaulted into his saddle then spun Nightdancer in a tight circle.  His warhorse seemed more eager to be away then he was.

 

Jasine was last to be in the saddle so he got stuck with the pack animal's.  Mistress Thera began to discuss where they would be going and what they would be doing.  Perivar felt as if he had been punched in the gut.  He nodded unconciously though thoughts raced through his mind.  Light why Arafel, was she testing him, was this some cruel joke.  He had visited the Mistress of Trainees enough to know her punishments were harsh though he had come to know her personally, that would not be like her.  Suddenly he felt foolish at his initial reaction, he felt the need to admit it to her and ask for forgiveness.  No you fool that would be worse, she had won that battle, she had beaten that out of him.

 

Perivar formed the flame then pushed his emotions into it.  He became on with his horse, one with his surroundings.  In the void he suddenly realized that he was alone.  At Perivar's urging Nightdancer sprang into action in a spray of dirt and debris galloping after the others.  Nightdancer caught them quickly, Perivar reined him in guided him to fall in line behind the others.  He rode across the same bridge that he had when he arrived at Tar Valon to begin his training.  He was going the other way then.  Light it seemed like a lifetime ago, he wondered...no those thoughts would do him no good so he pushed them into the flame.  In the void he scanned their surroundings, they were out of Tar Valon now and it would do them well to pay attention and remain on guard. 

 

Perivar noticed that Melenis was stiff as a statue in the saddle, she would not make it far like that.  Jasine who was always willing to lend rode up alongside her mount.  Perivar couldn't hear what he said though he was leaning from his saddle to be closer to her.  No doubt he was trying to help, he put a hand near her lower back trying to ease her into the saddle obviously telling her how to ride properly.  He liked the other boy a lot, well they were closer to men now.  He could not think of a thing he didn't like about Jasine, he seemed to have no flaws and he was always smiling like he loved life.

 

After a while Melenis seemed more comfortable in the saddle.  She would no realize how much pain and suffering Jasine had saved her.  Shortly after that Jasine dropped back, his good deed done.  Lucky for Melenis, Jasine was an amazing rider.  Perivar was an accomplished rider though Jasine was a master, like he was born in the saddle.  As if his thoughts were spoken aloud, he noticed Jasine briefly glancing at him.  Perivar flashed a smile though he wasn't sure if his friend had noticed.  He didn't know how Jasine felt about him though he thought of Jasine as a friend. 

 

About a mile from the city they turned northeast and began paralleling the road.  The sun was still short of noon when they stopped to water the horses.  They all seemed happy to be away from the daily routine of the yard.  Mistress Thera took the opportunity to let them know what they could expect from this outing.     

[Talavin]

OOC: ... horse? right...

 

IC: Arath was not unfamilliar with horses, after all he had Jasine as a friend. However, he had never owned a horse and had ridden one perhaps five times in his life. Therefore, Arath found himself in a predicament; he needed to take the Forest Survival class, and needed a horse to do so. Luckily, he managed to find a Tower Guard that he was friendly with and borrow his horse, Moonrunner, for the scheduled ten days. When he explained why he needed the horse, his Guard friend gave him a few words of advice. When Mistress Thera told them to empty their packs, Arath removed a couple changes of clothes, some flint, rations, and a knife. After he had his flint and rations taken from him, Arath mounted his horse much more nervous than before.

 

Arath nodded when Mistress Thera asked if he understood, he was fearful enough still in the Yards, likely he would stay as close to the experienced teacher as posible. Arath paled when he heard what the class would entitle- none of it was review. He grew up in a city and could get around just fine in there, but he couldn't imagine going into the woods for days with no rations or flint. Nervously, he rode forward, drinking in all of the advice that Jasine was giving Melenis. He knew that he would at least learn how to ride on this trip.

 

Although he was nervous- terrified- Arath was determined to learn everything he needed. He would have to use these skills eventually, and he didn't want to have to rely on other people. Arath led Moonrunner to the water, and couldn't help but feel a little excited. He was going on an adventure, perhaps not the heroic kind, but Arath had never done anything like this before. A smile creeping onto his face, Arath eagerly waited for the next instruction, trying not to think about his complete inability to survive in the wild.

[Jehaine]

Though still a bit tense, Melenis had taken Jasine'advice to heart. Or tried to, at least. To say she was relaxed would have been nothing short of a blatant lie, but she did look a little less... rigid after Jasine offered her some advice. She wriggled in the saddle, trying to get that feel Jasine had been talking about, or at least some indication of what to look for, but other than appearing a little restless she wasn't giving the horse any 'fear vibes', so to speak. She hoped she wasn't anyway.

 

Still not really allowing herself to look away from the horse until she'd have a decent grasp of what to look for, she mumbled a thanks, taking a deep breath before plunging herself into the Void, figuring it'd do to keep the horse from misinterpreting her and being afraid.

 

 

Melenis

Not quite cavalry

[Quisalas Selene]

Jasine wouldn't normally have failed to notice that another rider was uncomfortable in his saddle, but his focus was divided pretty evenly between watching Melenis and being mindful of his own mount and the pack horses.  It wasn't until they stopped for the water that he even thought about the fact that it was a girl whose backside he had been watching all that time.  He had been thinking of Melenis as a fellow trainee and one in need of help, but he suddenly realized how it might have looked to anyone else and he looked at Thera several times as he tended to the horses to make sure she hadn't misunderstood his interest in the hindparts of another female.

 

He had plenty to do while they were stopped to water the horses and as his animals drank he fished the hoof pick out of the saddle bag and quickly checked their legs for any burs and their hooves for any stones.  Brownie had picked up a small pebble that was wedged between the sole of his hoof and his shoe; it was small but would bruise if the horse had it lodged there long enough.  Jase worked it out from behind the shoe quickly and then checked the pack animals, but there were no other issues. 

 

Animals tended to, Jase took his water skin and drank as well before refilling it from the stream.  Even his worry over Thera couldn't keep his exuberance from lighting his face up with a smile at being out in the wild with the people he was probably closer to than anyone save Selene.  He was a little surprised at how quickly he had formed an attachment to these people, particularly Thera, but that didn't make him feel it any less.

 

He listened intently as Thera described what they were going to learn while on this trip and his esteem and respect for the woman grew even further.  He was really looking forward to seeing her excel on this trip, she seemed so much more relaxed and happy than she used to be and he thought the trip would be good for her.  He stared for a moment with undisguised fondness before Brownie nudging his arm hard enough to nearly send him sprawling brought him back to his senses.

[Eqwina]

She studied the four trainees’ as they tended to their horses and themselves. It was obvious from their stance that Melenis and Arath were going to be feeling some pain before the day was at it end. While she felt bad for them and their tender bottoms it played every well into a lesson. Glancing up at the sky she saw that the sun had moved just pasted it height and swung her back up into the saddle.

 

“Mount up! We have more ground to cover before we find a place to make camp.”

 

This time as they road they left all signs of civilization behind. Wary of pushing too hard with less then experienced riders Thera led them at a trot for a mile before having them dismount and walk a mile. Horses could cover a lot of ground that way, more so if she could add a canter, but it was too early to push them hard. They stopped twice more before the sun began to set. Those stops had been spent in silence with everyone but Thera too tired to speak. Thus far she had tried to keep her distance from Jasine, but at the final stop she rode back beside him and dismounted to check the pack horses. “You ride as if you were born in the saddle, I had no idea you were so…skilled” With the horses to hide them she let her eyes scan him lazily not bothering to hide her lust. “What other skills do you posses that I know nothing about?” She winked and straightened from the horses, mounting before he had a chance to speak. This trip had made her feel free and she could not help but try a little flirting. As long as the others didn’t hear…

 

She had them all mount again and stood studying the sky. Hues of red were spreading quickly; mounted facing them Thera couldn’t help but notice how well it highlighted the red in Jasines’ cheeks. “We have to find a camp for the night, and soon, if you all are to have any hope of getting a hot meal after our lesson is done. Now, how can tell me what you should look for when you are making camp?”

[Talavin]

Arath had never ridden a horse for so long in his entire life. At first it started out okay, but then gradually his rear end got sore, and more sore. If it weren't for the fact that he desperately needed to learn the skills this class would teach, he would turn back now and forget that the wilderness existed. Walk, walk, walk. Ride, ride, ride. Sore, sore, sore. Arath supressed a groan, knowing that he had felt pain worse than this... but he would have to keep this up for a long time.

 

Finally, they came to a blessed stop. Arath saw Thera going up to speak with Jasine, and didn't catch much. He heard her compliment his riding skills, and saw him blush like a ripe tomatoe. Arath shook his head. Really, Arath thought that Jasine had started to get over his unrequetted crush on the Mistress of Trainees, but if he couldn't even take a simple compliment...

 

“We have to find a camp for the night, and soon, if you all are to have any hope of getting a hot meal after our lesson is done. Now, how can tell me what you should look for when you are making camp?”

 

What to look for as you're making camp? Arath didn't have the slightest idea. Were they going to sleep in trees? Burrow under the ground? He tried to make himself as small of a target as possible so that the Mistress wouldn't choose him to question, and waited for someone (aka: Jasine or Perivar) to respond.

[Quisalas Selene]

"You ride as if you were born in the saddle, I had no idea you were so… skilled.” His heart raced at her expression and he longed to reach for her.  “What other skills do you posses that I know nothing about?”  The minx didn't even give him time to properly flirt with her!  He watched her as he mounted with undisguised longing and sighed softly as he turned away from her and back to Brownie.  A moment spent checking the girth and making sure his saddlebags were still secure gave him the time he needed to compose himself. 

 

As he mounted he caught sight of Arath shaking his head and hoped that his friend still thought him only a foolish boy with a complex for older woman.  He hadn't been able to hide everything from Arath, the two were too close for that, but he hoped to keep this much.

 

As Thera spoke again, Jasine too looked up at the western sky.  He mused silently before offering his answer to her.  "This far away from any villages, game should be good.  We'll want clean water nearby for our own drinking and because it will attract animals to eat.  There has to be deadwood for lighting a fire, so near the trees or in them.  When Da used to take us camping, he'd always be on the edge of a clearing so the horses could graze the grass, it's harder for them to find grazing in a dense forest." He paused, thinking that he might be missing something, and then added, "I've never been camping without tents before, so I guess we'll need branches for cover, or a cave."  He was mostly guessing on that second part, but it sounded good. "Caves tend to have a nasty habit of being someone's home, though, so we should look for... wolf paw prints or bear marks? To make sure..."

 

As he trailed off he looked to his other trainees, hoping someone else might have some actual experience in this that wasn't just random guessing.

[Sieve]

Perivar was more than happy to let Jasine reply.  Perivar had experience campaigning with his father though he was always reluctant to mention things like that.  Not to mention his views on what made a good camp site could be different from the others, your way was not always the best way.  One difference when campaigning is that you wanted to have a good view of your surroundings for your guards to keep watch.  The more warning you had that trouble was approaching the better prepared you were to deal with it.  The camp they were making today was more about survival, so shelter, food and water seemed like the key ingredients.

 

Jasine did a good job answering Mistress Thera's question, he had a reason or explanation for every point that he made.  Shelter, water, some source of food whether it be game or berries and nuts as well as an area for the horses to graze sounded good to him.  The last was something Perivar had not thought of.  In spite of Jasine's lack of confidence in his answers he had done extremely well.  Perivar studied Jasine for a moment.  Unlike Perivar, Jasine seemed quick to reason things out, even things which he claimed to have little knowledge of.  Perivar watched Mistress Thera waiting to hear what she thought of Jasine's reply.   

[Jehaine]

Melenis used the time spent resting to straighten out some muscles in her back -- some felt as if they had been pulled in a double loop around her abdomen -- though the miles spent walking were great to relieve the pressure, even if slightly. When they finally reached what she assumed would be their destination, Thera asked about what to look for when making camp, which Jasine answered relatively fast. Though, she still felt the need to add one thing.

 

- "Elevated terrain. It keeps the rain from bunching up around the tents and turning camp into a mudpool, while also making it easier to find when you're out getting firewood or foraging for supplies. I used to go camping a couple of times, though we had tents then."

 

She looked at Thera again, wondering if between Jasine and herself everything would be covered. There'd have to be a fire pit for the campfire, of course, and the openings of their tents shouldn't be facing the wind, but those were all minor things.

 

 

Melenis

Still here ^^;

[Eqwina]

A gentle breeze had picked up while her trainees pondered their answers, causing her curls to dance around her face. Few things made Thera feel more confident than being on BlueRose’s back with the wind in her hair and the world waiting. She had almost forgotten what it was like to campaign, perhaps now that she was not so feared she could schedule more trips outside of Tar Valon.

 

“ Very good Melenis, Excellent Jasine.” She smiled warmly at them both. “ I hope you all were listening closely. Lets review.. There are several things to consider when choosing a campsite, whether it is for the night or a longer stay.  The more cover from the elements the better, especially when you will be sleeping on the ground. Camp close to water when you can, pick a spot that is level and dry and try not to disturb the existing vegetation. There will be times that you will be being followed and you want to leave as little trace of yourself as possible. You might need a spot that can be easily defended, but always have an escape plan. Higher ground is usually best, but well covered. “ Turning her horse in a slow circle Thera studied the clouds off to the west. “It may be that we see rain tonight, so a pick us a place that is dry. You have 15 minutes as close as you can manage to find us a spot. I want you to break off into pairs. Arath you are with Jasine and Melenis you will go with Perivar. Find a spot and then report back to me. I will take a look at both and we will make a decision. Remember…15 minutes as close as you can judge, I want to back here.”

She dismounted and let the reigns hang, watching carefully as the two pairs of trainees disappeared into the wooded area. It was not a dense forest, but still she wanted to know which way they’d gone in case one team failed to make it back. Looping the pack horses leads around her arm she paced the length of the clearing waiting for her children to return. In the distance she heard the sounds of what could have been a bear and she tensed. This was their first expedition outside of Tar Valon and she could not help but feel protective. Her hand hovered above her sword as she continued her short circuit of clearing. More sounds echoed from the way Jasine and Arath had gone and by instinct Thera began to head towards them. Only the sounds of horses hooves in the underbrush made her stop her charge.

 

[Talavin]

Arath went off with Jasine into the woods, hoping that he could be some sort of help. He knew that Wilderness Survival was not exactly his forte, but the whole point of this was to learn, so he couldn't use Jasine as a crutch. There were so many things to remember about the ideal spot... it was hard to imagine that there was actually a place with all of those things mentioned. After about five minutes, Jasine pointed out a spot. Arath tried to analyze the potential camp grounds as best he could. He could hear a small stream not too far off. There was plenty of canopy to protect them from the weather, and it was level.

 

"But wait, there's plants and flowers that would be disturbed by us. Don't we want to leave as little traces as possible?"

 

Jasine was quick to correct him. "Yes, it's true that our ideal ground would not have much vegitation, but that's just ideal. There's very little chance that you can actually find the perfect ground that meets all the requirements. Maybe if it was just the two of us, we could find a good spot, but with a larger group you need more space and it's hard to find a bit space like that. We have a little time to search for a better grounds, but we should keep that one in mind just in case."

 

Arath nodded, committing that piece of information to memory, and continued on with Jasine to keep looking. Soon, they needed to head back, but unfortunately the first site they found was the best site. Arath realized the wisdom behind Jasine's words- if they had ignored that first place then they would but out of luck later on. Returning to the Mistress, Arath waited patienly for her to ask for their report.

[Quisalas Selene]

Jasine was glad he'd been paired up with Arath; he was much more comfortable around the boy than anyone else in the Yards.  They'd gotten into the occasional scrap or fight, but nothing serious at all.  It had served only to strengthen their bond and he didn't have to worry about Arath taking him the wrong way.  So he felt easy enough to talk candidly with Arath about the campsite.  He knew his advice would be taken candidly and honestly, without  any accusation that Jasine was showing off.  Arath was still soundly his superior in most martial aspects, and he liked that they could learn from each other without jealousy over the other's strengths.

 

"Haven't seen a better site than that first one, let's head back to it first so that we can be sure we'll be able to find it from where Mistress Thera is.  Wouldn't it be laughable if we couldn't find our site when we were leading her to it?"  Jasine laughed and smiled openly at his friend before heading back.

 

As they waited for Perivar and Melenis to return as well, Jasine once again checked the horses' feet for any stones or anything else that would make them uncomfortable.  There was dirt lodged into all of the three animals' hooves, but nothing that could cause any harm.  Jase used his hoof pick to clean away the dirt and then went back to the group as he heard the other two trainees returning. 

[Sieve]

Perivar listened to the instructions then nodded to Melenis before heading in the opposite direction from Jasine and Arath.  He spotted a gathering of boulders on some high ground not far from the clearing where they started.  A quick study of the area failed to reveal an opening.

 

Perivar went a little farther from the stream where he found an area that might work.  It was a hilly area though there was a level space where three trees stood thick with foliage.  There was enough room for all of them to set blankets under the cover of the trees.  Nearby was a grassy clearing that would do for the horses.  There were enough rocks nearby for a firepit.  His only concern was that it was a little farther from the stream than he had hoped, it would take a few minutes to walk to the stream to gather water.

 

Perivar called Melenis over so that she could look at it and give her opinion.  Perhaps she had found something better.

[Eqwina]

It was a relief to see all four trainees arrive back to the clearing the one piece. While they were all more than capable with their weapons, most had not been outside of the Tower grounds since arriving in Tar Valon.

 

“Did any of you find anything that was worth looking at? She knew serviceable camp sights in either direction, but she wanted to see how well they had listened to what was said. “Perivar, Melenis you stay with the pack horses and when I return we will take a look at your choice.” The sun was sinking quickly, but if they had chosen as she hoped it should be no problem to get camp set before dark.

 

Thera paced the area Jasine and Arath led her too, it was indeed the one she remembered. “You both have done well, but can you tell me why this spot appeals?”

 

They arrived back to the clearing in only minutes and Thera went off with the other two. Perivar took the lead and they quickly found the chosen spot. There had been some changes she’d she last traveled that way, but much of it was as she remembered. With her examination complete she posed the same question to them. “Excellent choice, but can you tell me why?”

 

Gathering the group in tight so she would not have to shout she laid out her decision, after making sure they all knew how well they had done. In the end she chose the spot Melenis and Perivar had found, it would provide more cover against the coming rain. On the short ride she assigned them each tasks, trying to fit each with their strength. “Jasine you will see to hobbling and feeding the horses, Perivar you will see what you can catch from the stream for us to eat, Melenis you will see to gathering wood for the fire and Arath see what you can find in the way of wild turnips or mushrooms to accompany our meal.” While the trainees scatted to their tasks Thera took the folding buckets from the packhorse and made several trips to the stream to gather water. That done she gathered the necessary makings of a fire bow and filled the teapot with water for when the fire was hot. One by one they all filtered back in, done with their assigned tasks.

 

“I saw a few raised eyebrows when I took you flint and steel so the first thing I will show you is how to make a fire without”

 

A firebow was a primitive thing made from a block of wood, two sticks and the string from a bow. It took longer than a flint it steel, but in the end the effect was the same. “Melenis since it was your night to gather wood you can be the first to try.” Still crouched on the ground she instructed Perivar and Arath to go gather some herbs and large loose foliage that would be the makings of a lean too. With all the cover over head it was likely not be needed, but it was still a skill they had to learn. “Jasine you can start by cleaning and scaling the fish and I’ll tend to the shoots and mushrooms.”

[Sieve]

Melenis had agreed with him that the camp site was as good as they could find in the short amount of time that they had been allotted.  They hurried back to Mistress Thera to find that Jasine and Arath had already returned.  Mistress Thera went with the other two so survey their location for the camp after instructing.  He and Melenis were told to remain with the packhorses.

 

Mistress Thera returned then took them to their location.  “Excellent choice, but can you tell me why?” She asked.  They both responded letting her know the advantages of the location that they had chosen.  They returned to the others and after telling them that they had each done a great job Mistress Thera picked their location.  Once they got their they were each given tasks, the sun was sinking and they didn't have much time before darkness fell upon their camp.

 

Perivar hurried to the stream hoping that he could catch some fish.  He had a few ideas on how to catch them without a net or fishing pole and hoped he had enough time.  He returned just before dark with a handful of decent sized fish, there was one for each of them.

 

Once they were all there Mistress Thera showed them how to make a firebow and showed them how it worked.  Once they were shown she instructed Melenis to give it a try while the others were sent off on other tasks.  Perivar began gathering big leather leaves that they could use to make a shelter all the while keeping his eyes open for herbs.

 

 

[Talavin]

IC: Mushrooms? Arath was glad that he had gotten such an easy job. Picking mushrooms couldn't be too hard. He couldn't imagine having to catch fish- like Perivar was doing. Likely they all would be going hungry. Eagerly, Arath looked for mushrooms, suprised at the variety he was finding. There were big mushrooms and small mushrooms, brown mushrooms and green mushrooms, spotted mushrooms and plain mushrooms. They also seemed to like groing in dark, damp places. Arath filed that information away and kept looking.

 

With plenty of mushrooms, Arath headed back and deposited them where the Mistress gestured. Seeing her amused look, Arath wondered if he had done something wrong, before concluding that he probably brought too many. The fire was going fine, and there was a few fish roasting over the fire. Arath assumed that Jasine had absolutely no problem with the horses, concidering that he was an expert. Mistress Thera prepared his mushrooms and they got to eating.

 

One thing that Arath found odd during the meal was that Mistress Thera was picking around her mushrooms. Huh, she must not like mushrooms very much. As they ate their meal, Arath couldn't help but feel a bit sick. Unfortunately, Arath didn't know that some mushrooms were poisonous.

 

OOC: Come on now! I know that none of you want for your character to be poisoned, but what's the fun in them all getting through the trip without any misfortunes? It's much more fun this way (well, for us OOC)

[Quisalas Selene]

Tending to the horses was a job so natural to Jasine that if Thera had assigned someone else to it, he probably would have felt sad that he didn't get to do it.  He rubbed down the horses and watered them, checking each hoof and picking a few small stones from beneath two of the animals' shoes.  Once they were all hobbled and grazing contently, he carried each saddle and the packs from the extra mounts back to their campsite.  While it was heavy work, it was enjoyable.  Cleaning and scaling fish, however, was considerably less satisfying.  He managed, he had done it before, but his belt knife was considerable less fine than the filet knife his dad had always used and had always had Jasine use.  Once he got the fish gutted, trimmed, and scaled, he spitted them on some green sticks he had trimmed and gave them to Thera to cook.  He sat beside her, paying attention and learning what he could about campfire cuisine, but didn't say much.  The day's ride had left him growing tired and he leaned back against his saddle as he watched.

 

When everyone returned from their tasks, jasine made an attempt to strike up conversation with Melenis, asking her about her grandfather and the lessons he had taught her with her weapon.  He chose this topic because it seemed the one she was the most willing to open up about, but he had to apologize several times for yawning.  By the time the food was ready, he was scarcely still awake, but perked up some at the enticing smells.

 

After eating, he reclined against his saddle again and desperately hoped Thera wouldn't set him to watch, at least not first watch.  After the initial second wind food had given him, he now felt sleepier than ever.

[Jehaine]

Melenis hadn't been out of Far Madding that much save for a few occasional camping trips, and even though she knew the basics she still had to concede to Perivar finding the better location of the two of them. Still, in the end it didn't matter who came across that location, as it'd be in the group's mutual benefit to find a good place to make camp.

 

She was sent for firewood, and she gathered a number of dead branches from the ground, checking them for insects before taking them back to camp. She believed she read once that insects liked a bit of humidity, and that would have made the wood create a lot of smoke, making it unfit for a fire.

 

There was a decent pile when she was done. Not much, but enough to last for a night. As she rested, she found herself talking to Jasine about her grandfather, keeping on talking even though she noticed her conversation partner drifting off every now and then. She didn't mind though, she was happy enough just talking about him.

 

The food was... well, a double edged sword would be the best comparison. On one side, it was very well prepared considering what resources were available to them. On the other, it did make her feel somewhat uncomfortable inside her stomach. Noticing Jasine all but fallen asleep, she decided to turn in early as well. Some sleep would likely help her get over whatever was bothering her.

 

 

Melenis

Not that knowledgeable about mushrooms either