The Sacrement of Wal:Attn Burrich

[WhiteWolf]

It was a cold starless night; the wind was blowing from the mountains and gave a cold edge to the air. Owen and Burrich were at the Rangers training field, it was to be Burrich’s first lesson today, and Owen could sense his eagerness and curiosity.

 

“I think the first thing we need is a run to warm us up, and from tonight I expect you to run this course everyday, stamina and endurance are needed more by the Rangers than any of the other groups in the Wolfkin, even the Trackers.â€

 

Without any more talking, Owen started running, using a long loping stride; one designed to cover long distances easily. Burrich fell in beside Owen and the two of them headed towards the hills and a trail Owen knew would not tax Burrich too much.

 

“Tonight I will start to instruct you in the Way of the Warrior, it will not be all about using weapons, and you may find parts of it confusing at first. A Warrior should always act with the highest regard for the people he is protecting, even if they do not appreciate or desire his help. We do what we do, not for thanks, we do it because it is right, that extends to two-legs as well.â€

 

Burrich seemed surprised by the mention of two-legs, it was widely known among the Wolfkin, that Owen had no love for them. Knowing what Burrich would be thinking, Owen smiled slightly. “Perhaps how we act around two-legs is even more important than how we act around our own brethren. To them we are Darkfriends, or fiends; the only way to change that is to let our actions speak for themselves. I know you have heard I do not like many of them, and must think this is a strange view to have. But they chose to persecute us, not the other way round, so we have to act with great dignity and moral courage in our dealings with them.â€

 

The two of them were just cresting a small rise in the trail, and Owen did not speak again until they were over it and heading into the valley beyond. When they reached the valley floor Owen called a halt to their run, Burrich was puffing a little, but had managed to keep up so far. “Gather some dead wood Burrich, we will start a small fire and then continue with our lesson.â€

 

While Burrich gathered the wood, Owen scraped a fire pit out of the ground, using one of his daggers. When the young guardian returned, Owen asked him to build the fire and light it. When the fire was going, Owen sprinkled some incense on it, the smell permeating the area.

 

“Clear your mind Burrich, focus on the flames and seek that that is within us all, the centre where we are at peace.†Owen’s voice had taken on a very soft inflection, one that Burrich could hear only because of his enhanced hearing. “When you look into the fire, ask yourself this, where does the flame go? Seek that place and you will find the wal, your centre.â€

 

Owen stopped speaking and let his mind clear, seeking out that inner calm that was so different to the Spring and was unlike any other technique of meditation he had heard of.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

OOC Burrich, start your post with a retrospective on asking Owen if you could join the Rangers. Then give your reactions to what Owen is teaching you. It is preferable that you do not succeed the first time you try this, it is like nothing you have attempted before. So realistically, it is unlikely that your char would achieve his Wal straight away. If you have any questions, or need any help, PM me.

[Asfaloth]

Tonight was the night Burrich would finally begin training toward becoming a Ranger, the guardians and protectors of the Wolfkin. It had now been nearly four months since Eyota had found him and brought him here to the Stedding, and he had changed a lot in that time. His training with John had been good for him but it had ended last night. After proving himself worthy John had presented him to the rest of the Wolfkin as a full-fledged Wolfbrother at a party last night at the inn.

 

Earlier this morning Burrich had sought out Owen to ask permission to join the Rangers. They had talked for some time so Owen could assess Burrich's reasons for choosing that division but after awhile he had accepted him and said they would begin his training that very night at the Ranger's training field.

 

After exchanging pleasnatries for a few minutes they set out on a run. Owen sat a ground-eating pace. Burrich could run faster but not for long, this was a pace he could keep for long distances without over-tiring himself. At least, he was sure it would be when his conditioning improved.

 

Burrich was surprised by Owen's regard for the two-legs, especially after all he'd heard. Surprised, but pleased. It was good to know the man was fair and he had an attitude toward others that Burrich repsected.

 

Eventually they came to a stop in a small valley. This was the farthest Burrich had run in a single outing before and he was embarrassed to be huffing and puffing when they came to a halt. He would definitely need to improve his endurance, after all what good was his immense strength if he had none of it left when he got where he was going?

 

Given the area they had stopped it wasn't long before Burrich had more than enough dead wood to last them through the night. He brought it all back and used some kindling lying around to get a nice size fire started. The incense Owen sprinkled on it had a pleasant aroma and Burrich could already begin to feel the effects of its restorative powers of relaxation.

 

"Clear your mind Burrich, focus on the flames and seek that that is within us all, the centre where we are at peace. When you look into the fire, ask yourself this, where does the flame go? Seek that place and you will find the wal, your centre."

 

Where does the flame go? What an interesting question, and one Burrich had certainly never taken the time to consider. He did so now though and was puzzled. He tried to watch a single flame as it start from the embers and grew. It grew larger and larger as it fed off the dry wood he'd built up and then eventually it just dissapeared.

 

As he gazed ever deeper into the fire his eyes began to lose focus. All he could see was the one single flame, yet still he could discern nothing of where it went when it had consumed its fuel and reached its maximum height. Burrich was not a patient person. He would like to have stayed staring into the flames until he found this wal that Owen spoke of, but he couldn't do it.

 

"I am sorry sir," he said as he lowered his head in shame, "I can't seem to find this wal that you speak of. I don't know where the flame goes but I imagine it just dissapears. Help me to understand."

[WhiteWolf]

Owen watched as Burrich prepared himself, Owen well knew this exercise was something that Burrich would find very strange, and difficult, as had every Guardian who had been taught this, some attained their Wal very quickly, others took a lot longer. But, with Owen’s guidance, and that of the other Rangers, so far no one had failed in this and Owen was not about to let Burrich be the first, no matter what it took.

 

"I am sorry sir," he said as he lowered his head in shame, "I can't seem to find this wal that you speak of. I don't know where the flame goes but I imagine it just disappears. Help me to understand."

 

Owen’s grin must have surprised Burrich, as it was definitely not the response he had expected to his statement. Holding up his hand, to stop the obvious retort from Burrich, Owen explained why he was smiling.

 

“You do not call me sir, Burrich. My name, as you well know, is Owen, or White Fang, if you prefer. The Rangers do not stand on ceremony, if it makes it any easier for you, just think of me as first amongst equals, even with Wolfkin who are new to the Rangers, am I understood?â€

 

Burrich nodded his head, sheepishly. Obviously he wanted to impress Owen, and thought he had made a mistake by trying to show respect to the Ranger Leader. “Now as to my question, it is not one that cannot be answered, but the answer is different for each person who tries this. I cannot show you the path I can only offer suggestions and guidance, you must walk this path alone, but know this, you are never truly alone in this, or in other things, so just relax, clear your mind of doubts, uncertainties and questions. Let your mind float free, unburdened by the day to day routine of life. If this is for you, you will find the way. Everybody has their own path they must walk to attain this ability and it will not be an easy path. Sometimes when I try I get near, at others it is like grasping smoke. You will spend more time being frustrated than you would think possible, I know I have.â€

 

Owen lapsed into silence and waited to see if Burrich had any questions. The silence of the wooded glade settled around the two of them and despite the slight chill in the air, neither seemed to notice, so engrossed, were they, in what they were doing.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Asfaloth]

"You do not call me sir, Burrich. My name, as you well know, is Owen, or White Fang, if you prefer. The Rangers do not stand on ceremony, if it makes it any easier for you, just think of me as first amongst equals, even with Wolfkin who are new to the Rangers, am I understood?"

Burrich nodded his head. Yes, he understood but he was still very confused. What was the proper deference from student to teacher if not 'Sir'? First among equals made sense though. And, it made Owen that much more respectable in Burrich's eyes.

 

As Owen further explained different ways of acheiving the state of Wal Burrich began to understand. He emptied out all of his thoughts, concentrating on nothing at all. This wasn't easy. It was in fact very hard. As he focused on not thinking of something he found himself thinking about it all the more. Eventually though, he got tha knack for it. His mind finally empty he understood exactly what Owen had been trying to teach him.

 

He had found his center. His mind was now fully open to the possibilities around him. He opened his eyes and looked down to make eye contact with his new teacher. Words were not neccessary, it was evident in Burrich's eyes that he had found it.

[WhiteWolf]

Owen watched as Burrich composed himself, he knew how hard it could be to empty your mind and attempt something that was so alien, even the slightest distraction could grow into something that could rob you of your concentration. After a while, Owen noticed a change in Burrich’s features, they relaxed and he could tell that Burrich had found what he had hoped he would.

 

Owen let Burrich come out of his trance when he was good and ready. While he was waiting for him, Owen got up and walked around the small clearing they were in, searching for something. Eventually Owen found what he was looking for and returned to Burrich.

 

He had opened her eyes and was watching Owen as he sat down. “Well now you know what I was explaining to you, how do you feel?â€

 

Owen listened intently to Burrich’s answer, smiling to himself as he tried to explain what he had felt. When Burrich finished, Owen nodded his head, and then gestured to Burrich to stand up. “Well now that you can do it sitting down and fairly comfortable, how about we see if you can do it while in a less comfortable situation.â€

 

Burrich arched one of his eyebrows at Owen. “And just what do you have in mind Owen?†Burrich stuttered over using Owen’s name, but at least he used it, the breaking down of barriers also applied to how Burrich saw Owen, and that would proceed throughout Burrich’s training.

 

Leading him across the clearing Owen made his way back to the tree he had spotted and pointed to two branches about half way up. “See those two branches Burrich, the two that wind around each other? Well I want you to climb up there and hang by your feet from them.â€

 

“You want me to what…?†Burrich looked at Owen and realised he had that Owen’s demeanour would brook no arguments.. At times like this it was better to just do as Owen wanted, no matter how brain dead it might seem, and Burrich would come to see that a lot of Owen’s training methods were far from usual, or mundane.. Moving over to the tree, Burrich started to climb the, Owen close behind him. After a short climb they came to the branches Owen has indicated and they crawled along them

 

“This will do Burrich. Now follow what I do and you will be fine. “

 

Owen locked his feet in between the two branches and swung himself upside down, crossing his arms over his chest he looked for all the world like a large bat at rest.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

OOC: Burrich, this is mainly the same as the first two posts, but now you have the added stress/strain to deal with, so have fun!

[Asfaloth]

As Burrich followed the smaller man up the tree he was extremly nervous. He used to love climbing trees when he was younger but lately he'd been scared that his larger size would be too much of a hindrance and had foresworn his old pasttime. He was pleased to see that Owen had taken his larger size into account when he chose the tree. Not only was the tree one of the larger oaks in the vicinity, but there were also plenty of good thick branches, most strong enough even for Burrich's weight all the way to their target branches.

 

When they got there Owen scampered out onto the branches, leaving Burrich the thicker portion near the tree. Then he deftly hooked his feet between them, secured his ankles, and swung over. He hung for a few moments, looking like a giant bat, before Burrich remembered he was supposed to be joining him.

 

Despite his large size Burrich did have any uncany sense of balance and grace. At least he did on the ground. Up in this tree however, he was anything but graceful. He tried to mimic the movements the Ranger leader had made but found he hadn't paid enough attention to how he had done them. His first attempt he ended up falling off the tree backward and barely catching the limb below to keep from plummeting even further to the ground.

 

He was furious. How could he be so clumsy? In his anger, he even ripped apart a few branches on his way back up. This only made him more mad, until he noticed Owen's laughter. The laughter angered him further as he thought Owen was mocking him. The older man comforted him and explained that it wasn't it jest but merely a humorous situation he couldn't help but laugh at. Burrich realized he was right and started laughing along with him.

 

The laughter helped to dispell his fear of failure and his next attempted came with success. He found himself hanging upside down, crossed his arms over his chest and looked to Owen. Owen's look said that he wasn't done yet and Burrich tried to concentrated on returning to that state he had found earlier. As he began the process the blood rushing to his head started pounding, providing much more of a distraction than he would have ever guessed it could.

 

It took him three tries but he finally got back to that state of heightened concentraton he had found down by the campfire. As soon as he did, the pounding in his head stopped as his body adjusted to strange position he was in. Now he understood how Owen could hang here like this for so long. Having found his Wal Burrich was no longer distracted by all the noises and smells around him, or even by his own discomfort. Instead there was nothing but peace, beautiful glorious peace.

[WhiteWolf]

Owen listened to Burrich as he tried to make him believe he was uncomfortable, but Owen knew how difficult it could be for someone as big as Burrich, when it came to climbing trees. Owen had always loved climbing trees, climbing anything actually, and that was a large part of why he had built his home in a tree. That and to remind Iris of how they had met, even now, thinking about her made Owen feel melancholy, he knew deep down that he would never see her again, but he still hoped she would return, even though that looked to be a fool’s hope.

 

“What now, oh wise one?â€

 

Burrich’s question brought Owen back to the present, “well Burrich for now I will leave you on your own, but I want you to maintain your wal, and hold it come what may.†Burrich looked over at where Owen was, to discover that his mentor was no longer there. How does he do that?

 

Owen had not gone far, he had prepared for this lesson with Burrich and what he needed was nearby. Gathering up the implements that he needed Owen returned to the tree that Burrich was hanging from, and climbed back up until he was on the branch Burrich was dangling from. Earlier Owen had asked Burrich to remove his boots and stockings and now the reason why became clear. In Owen’s hand was a large birds feather, extremely soft and just right for what he had in mind. Owen started to tickle Burrich’s feet, first the left, then the right foot, and then alternating so that Burrich had no idea which foot would be assaulted next. If this torture did not achieve the desired effect, Owen had many more devious ways that he could use, and no doubt Burrich would suffer each and everyone of them.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Asfaloth]

"What now, Oh Wise One?" Burrich mocked the older man. It felt weird to be mocking an authority figure at all after his time with the companions but Owen said he wanted to be treated more like an equal so he was trying.

 

"Well Burrich for now I will leave you on your own, but I want you to maintain your wal, and hold it come what may." Come what may? That didn't sound good. What was Owen up to? He turned to see, but the man was gone. Where'd he go? Better yet, how did he keep dissapearing like that?

 

Well, as long as he was gone Burrich would use the time to delve deeper into the Wal he'd been taught. If Owen was going to try to distract him then he wanted to be as deep into the meditative state as he could so he'd have a chance of holding it. So he concentrated and succeeded in drifting further and further into himself. Further and further away from the world around him and the sensations his body was feeding him.

 

But then, something broke through. There was something, a feather perhaps, tickling the sole of his left foot as hung suspended from the tree. Just as he got used to it enough to block it out it was on his right foot. That too he came to block out but then it changed. Soon the pattern was lost and the tickling became so random he couldn't even attempt to predict its comings and goings.

 

So he stopped trying. He stopped concentrating on what feelings he should be blocking out and concentrated solely on his Wal. Stopped thinking about what he shouldn't think about and started only concentrating on that which was helpful to him.

 

It must have worked because soon enough Owen stopped the tickling. Burrich was relieved. At least until he found out what was next.

[WhiteWolf]

Owen was having fun with this now; normally training was a chore, one he was happy to do, but a chore none the less. It was not that Owen was a perverse person, it was that most of the training he conducted had to do with learning to kill someone, or learning to stop someone from killing you. This was totally different, and Owen had learnt to take pleasure wherever he could find it, life was too violent to do otherwise, in his opinion. Owen stopped tickling Burrich’s feet, the young man was showing he could control himself, and do so with some skill. Reaching into his pocket, Owen grabbed a handful of what he what looked like brown dust and sprinkled it all over the soles of Burrich’s feet and lower legs. Grinning to himself, Owen dropped to the ground and started to clear away the remains of the fire, that was now, no more than glowing embers. Owen kept his eye on Burrich the whole time he knew that Burrich realised he had to pass this test otherwise his training as a Ranger would come to a halt and this was not something Owen believed he wanted.

 

Owen had a wicked smile on his face as he started to put the fire out and scatter the soon cooling ashes all around the small glade they were in. The dust was ground up herbs that when sprinkled on warm skin combined with the sweat would produce an almost impossible itching that could drive a person to distraction. The only way to remove it was to immerse the body parts in water and scrub hard enough to virtually remove the skin. The itching was not the only problem Burrich faced; the nearest supply of water was a small stream, some distance from the tree Burrich now hung from. Owen informed him of all this as he finished scatter the now cold ashes around the clearing.

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Asfaloth]

When Owen Stopped the tickling Burrich knew he wasn't finished. As soon as the distraction ceased Burrich rebuilt the walls around himself, delving deeper into his wal. Whatever Owen had in mind for him, he would be ready.

 

Or so he thought. He felt the powder fall on his feet and legs and thought it was just another tickling tactic. Then the itching started. It was light at first, and easy to block out. But as time passed it just got worse and worse. Before long it had progressed to a point that he couldn't take it any longer. It was then that Owen took the time to explain what was happening to him.

 

He took the news of the stream's location as permission to get down from the tree and scrub himself clean. He rolled up to grab the tree limb and pulled his feet out. The itching had turned into a burning sensation. By the time he made it down to the ground his legs were on fire. He had lost his Wal a long time ago, now it was all about survival. If he didn't get this stuff off soon he'd lose his legs.

 

Owen was nice enough to point him in the direction of the stream, even if he was doing it while laughing his head off. The stream was further than Burrich would have guessed but he ran the whole way, trying his best to ignore the burning sensation that had now spread up both legs all the way to his thighs.

 

The stream turned out to be barely ankle deep, getting the powder off would be harder than he'd thought. He used the rocks of the stream bed to scrub the powder off, taking most of his skin with it. By the time he climbed out his skin was pink from the waist down.

 

Returning to the campfire he saw that Owen was still snickering. He considered getting mad but found himself laughing instead. "So, is the initiation torture finished now? I assume this had something to do with training? Mind telling me what it was?"

[WhiteWolf]

Still smiling, Owen told Burrich to put his boots back on, and as he was doing so, Owen started to answer Burrich’s question. “Consider this Burrich. You are in a situation, maybe an Inn, or a town, and you are surrounded by people who either actively hate us, or are scared by anything that is new to them. You could fight your way out, and once you complete your Ranger training, you would be more than capable, but is that the wisest move? To kill or maim people who are scared of you is not something that we encourage. So, you are surrounded by potential enemies, or are in a stressful situation, how difficult would it be to maintain and even temper, if you did not have the ability to distance yourself from the emotions, it would be almost impossible, and would take up a lot of your mental strength, allowing less for the solving of the situation. However, if you can keep your emotions in check, and respond in a none aggressive way, you stand a better chance of resolving the problems without recourse to violence. Obviously that is not always possible, but it is something we should strive for at all costs. We have to show the two-legs that we are not the monsters they believe us to be, even when every nerve in our body is screaming out for vengeance.†Owen paused, a distance, almost pained expression, briefly appearing on his face. “Believe me Burrich, when I say, there were times when I wish I had had this ability, it would have saved me a lot of heartache and pain.â€

 

Owen did not speak again, merely indicated that Burrich should follow him, turning he started to jog out of the trees and back onto the path, and headed deeper into the forest. Owen did not need to look to see if Burrich had followed him, he could sense the young Guardian just behind and off to one side of him. As they ran along shafts of moonlight pierced the trees and crossed their paths, making for a breath taking sight. Soon the trees opened out and the sound of a stream could be heard as it bubbled over some stones. Owen angled towards the sound, leaving the path behind as it headed off up the side of the foothills of the mountains.

 

Once they reached the stream Owen led Burrich off to one side where a small tributary of the stream disappeared into a small cave. A few feet in and the cave was filled to the top by the brook. Owen started to strip off his boots and removed his shirt and indicated that Burrich should do the same With that Owen pulled his trousers off and slid into the water. By the time Burrich followed him, Owen had acclimatised to the temperature of the water, and so when Burrich got in, Owen smiled at his gasp as he realised how cold the water was.

 

“Now what we are going to do here, is swim through this tunnel until we come out the other side. It is a long swim, but I know you can do it.â€

 

Owen watched Burrich’s face as he said this, and without giving him a chance to complain he continued. “Of course, you will have to maintain your Wal at all times. Once you are in the tunnel you will not be able to turn around, it can be a tight fit in places, so keep swimming in one direction and I will see you on the other side.â€

 

Not waiting for a reply, Owen walked over to the tunnel entrance and taking a couple of deep breaths disappeared into the dark water, kicking powerfully he was soon well into the tunnel and swimming for the exit. He knew his lungs would be bursting when he got to the other end, but this was a good test of control, and it would not do to succumb to panic. This was the ultimate test of ones Wal.

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Asfaloth]

OOC: After an unexpected hiatus let's see if we can finish this part of Burrich's training and move on.

 

IC: Swimming. Now this was something Burrich was comfortable with. This was something that Burrich felt no fear or trepidation over. Despite his great size, deemed aa disadvantage in water by many others, Burrich took to the water like a fish from a young age and never lost the zeal with which he swam.

 

This is why he followed Owen's example of stripping down without any hesitation. He was confident he could pass whatever test this might lead to if it was to take place in the water. Truthfully, he was overconfident, as he discovered for himself when he stepped into the water. He'd grown up in the South where the water stayed a constant temperature that, while refresging would never be called cold. This water, springing up from an underground source high in the mountains was freezing.

 

The shock of it made him lose all the air in his lungs along with his confidence to manage what had seemed a simple task. When Owen took off through the tunnel Burrich once again found his Wal, filled his lungs with air, and followed after him. He knew how long his breath would hold so he started the swim calmly enough. Soon though, he began to worry, how long was this tunnel? His normal breath control was suffering due to the cold and he was no longer sure if he'd make it.

 

Then his concern grew and he was hard pressed to maintain his Wal. He could feel fear bubbling to the surface within him as the tunnel narrowed. He wondered if Owen remembered how much larger he was when he'd chosen this tunnel. Burrich was having to adjust how he swam to fit through the tunnel, and this slowed him down, prolonging his suffering. Soon, he was caught. No matter how he twisted, he was just too large to fit through the hole.

 

He wondered then how long Owen would wait before swimming back to check on him, or if he would at all. His Wal was slipping further out of his grasp as he started to panic. If he couldn't free himself from the confines of the tunnel he would die before ever accomplishing anything of any significance. Straining his eyes to see through the water he could see the tunnel widened again just past where he was caught but he was stuck fast, there was nothing he could do.

 

And then he saw it. Up ahead, just inside his field of vision the color of the water changed. The other end of the tunnel was only a few body lengths ahead. Hope rekindled within him he exhaled all the air left in his lungs, allowing his body to scrape through, and losing several layers of skin in the process. It was painful, but he was free. And he'd kept hold of his Wal in the process. Propelling himself through the water his head broke the surface and he inhaled sweet glorious oxygen. Then he collapsed.

[WhiteWolf]

As soon as Burrich emerged from the tunnel, shooting up out of the water like a cork, Owen knew the young Guardian had not found this part of the test all that easy. This was intentional; the strain placed on a Guardian in his initial training was designed to find out if they had what was needed to join the ranks of the Rangers. Not all did, some remained as Guardians, some decided that another path was right for them, but it was better to find out now, in the early stages of training, rather than later when someone’s life might depend on the actions of the Rangers

 

Owen jumped back into the shallow pool of water and dragged the unconscious form out of the water. Quickly, Owen wrapped Burrich in a thick cloak and then started to build a fire. Once this was going, and Owen had assured himself that it would not go out, he started to brew a pot of tea, knowing that a good hot drink would do more to revive Burrich, and restore some warmth to his body. As he did this, Owen repeatedly checked on Burrich to make sure he was not suffering, although Owen did not have the skills a Sage had, he did know enough to confirm that Burrich was unconscious and nothing else was wrong with him.

 

Eventually Burrich slowly returned to consciousness, and when Owen was sure Burrich would not spill any of the hot drink on himself, Owen handed over a steaming hot mug, laced with a small amount of whisky, and then watched Burrich as he slowly sipped from the mug. When he had finished that drink, Owen refilled his mug, this time without the whisky, and handed it back to Burrich. Owen had no said a word to him, not because he was disappointed in him, or his performance, but he wanted him to gather his thoughts, clear his mind of the ordeal he had just gone through and so be able to provide the answers Owen needed. Seeing some colour returning to Burrich’s face, Owen decided now was the time and set aside his own mug.

 

“Well Burrich, you handled that quite well, but I do have one concern, why did you pass out? I realise that the test is a hard one, but there is no other way I know, of teaching you how to control your emotions than by a test such as you have just endured. So what went wrong in there?â€

 

Owen listened patiently to Burrich’s explanation, nodding his head when Burrich told him about getting stuck and how he had nearly panicked.

 

“I can understand how desperate you must have been feeling, but you forgot one vital fact. Our training is hard, and difficult, but no one has died from it, and no one will, unless they are particularly stupid and incompetent. You are part of a larger family now Burrich, and as a member of that family, I would do everything in my powers to keep you alive. As we progress through your training, you will find yourself in many taxing and challenging situations, but at no point will you risk losing your life, that is not what this is about.â€

 

Owen watched Burrich to see what his reaction would be, and slowly comprehension dawned on his face as he began to understand the true nature of the test he had just taken.

 

“Now, while we sit here and wait for you to regain your strength and equilibrium, why don’t you tell me what you have learnt so far.â€

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

 

OOC:Welcome back dude! Now when in your reply, please give you impressions so far as to what you have learnt, not just the lesson, but about yourself. Then in the second part of your post, say a week after this one took place, and with you practicing this cave thing all week, move us into the mountains, high in the mountains, and i will take it from there.

[Asfaloth]

Burrich woke slowly from unconsciousness to find himself wrapped in a cloak and seated in front of a fire. He saw Owen seated across from him making tea but the other man said nothing, politely leaving him in silence to gather his thoughts. A few minutes later he was given a cup of warm tea which he drank as fast as he could, and had his throat burned by whiskey on its way down. The whiskey soon did for his insides what the fire was doing for his skin and he soon found himself once more in full grasp of all his faculties. So it was that he was able to slowly sip at the next cup of tea Owen presented him. He knew an interview of sorts was forthcoming but Owen seemed content to wait. Obviously he had failed, what was to come now?

 

“Well Burrich, you handled that quite well, but I do have one concern, why did you pass out? I realise that the test is a hard one, but there is no other way I know, of teaching you how to control your emotions than by a test such as you have just endured. So what went wrong in there?â€

 

"Aye, you're right, the test was hard but not, I reckon, for the reason you think. The swimming was easy. Holding my breath was easy. Maintaining my Wal should have been easy as well. The problem came with the close quarters of the tunnel, but not for the reason you think. I don't panic in close quarters as some do, I have no fear of confined spaces. No, the problem quite simply was that I was once again too big for my own good."

 

Burrich laughed at himself to hide his pain. Despite some of the advantages it provided his size had always gotten him in trouble. Owen did not laugh with him but waited patiently for him to continue. "I got stuck. No matter how I squirmed, no matter how I struggled I only got more tightly stuck. I started to fear that I would die down there. After all, you were waiting for me to arrive behind you, but you didn't know how long I had waited or how fast I could swim. I figured by the time you thought to worry for me I'd have already drowned."

 

Burrich turned his face away in disgust, with himself and his fear. "I succumbed to my fears and lost my Wal. But then that the way out was only a short distance ahead. I took a gambit and exhaled all the air I had left in my lungs to better squeeze my way through the rocks. I lost a lot of skin in the process but I'm here now. I'm sorry I failed you."

 

“I can understand how desperate you must have been feeling, but you forgot one vital fact. Our training is hard, and difficult, but no one has died from it, and no one will, unless they are particularly stupid and incompetent. You are part of a larger family now Burrich, and as a member of that family, I would do everything in my powers to keep you alive. As we progress through your training, you will find yourself in many taxing and challenging situations, but at no point will you risk losing your life, that is not what this is about.â€

 

From Owen's assesment and encouragement Burrich finally began to understand. This task had not merely been done to test his Wal but also to teach him a valuable lesson. In Burrich's opinion trust was a very valuable commodity, not one to be given away freely, but he could see the importance it would hold for those of the Wolfkin. Most especially he could see its value for the Rangers who daily put their lives in each other's hands.

 

“Now, while we sit here and wait for you to regain your strength and equilibrium, why don’t you tell me what you have learnt so far.â€

 

"I have learned that I am too big for some tunnels. More importantly I have learned that if I would survive in this world I need to learn to trust others. This has been difficult for me lately but I know that I need to learn and I know that I am safe here with others like us. I didn't even realize that I had been blocking myself off from trusting others. But, the fact that I didn't even consider that you might help me proves that I had given up on anyone caring for me. the good thing is that now that I know, I can start breaking through those walls and learn to trust again."

*******************************************

For the past week Burrich had been left to train on his own. He had developed a routine that served his purposes and was progressing nicely. Every morning he awoke early to perform his varous chores around the inn. Then he went into the cellar to train his muscles by lifting the casks and barrels that were down there, followed by a run through the course Owen had laid out for him. The rest of his morning was spent practicing with his bow and going through the forms with the two handaxes he carried. After a long swim in the lake and a hearty lunch he returned to the practice yard to work on his precision and speed throwing those same axes and to go through the forms with his great double-bladed battleaxe. After a hard day of training he returned to the inn to help Wall ensure none of the patrons broke anything during their drinking binges.

 

He suspected this day would be just the same but as he was running through the forest Storm Hunter came alongside him.

 

White Fang waits for you in the practice yard. He looks ready for a journey. Mind if I tag along?

 

No, I certainly don't mind. I would be glad to have you along to keep us company and help guard our trail.

 

When he returned to the Ranger's training yard he rinsed the sweat from his body using water from a barrel put there for that purpose. Seeing that Owen was indeed prepared for a hike Burrich pulled on his shirt and boots and collected his weapons. "Where we headed?"

 

Receiving no answer but a nod of acknowledgement he watched Owen walk off expecting him to follow. He did notice though that Owen had his weapons on him so he gathered his and followed. As he walked he cinched the belt with his two axes around his waist and secured his battleaxe across his back. He slung a quiver full of arrows over his right shoulder. Granted they inhibited access to his axe but he could remedy that easily enough with little warning and make due with the smaller ones if any adversary took them unawares.

 

On his way out of the yard he snatched his Two Rivers longbow. A full six inches taller than him and as thick around as his wrist Wall was the only other one capable of stringing it, and unstrung it made an excellent walking stick. With the two bowstrings he kept in his pockets he was ready for anything, whether it be an attack or some much coveted personal training with the Ranger leader.

 

They walked in silence for some time before Burrich took the time to look around instead of simply waiting for explanation. The countryside they walked through was beautiful. Sonn the terrain changed as they made their way higher into the mountains and Burrich began to seriously wonder just what they were doing.

[WhiteWolf]

Owen kept his own council as he led Burrich up the trail that wound around the mountain. He was not being rude towards the young Guardian, instead he wanted to unsettle him, place him in the correct frame of mind that Owen wanted him in. As Owen rounded a corner in the trail, he felt the wind tugging at his cloak and almost forcing him backwards, that was until he felt Burrich’s hand propel him forward. Smiling to himself, Owen grinned back at Burrich and continued onwards. The location Owen was heading for was one that he visited on his own, many times and suited his purpose exactly. Finally Owen spoke to Burrich, keeping his comments clipped and letting a small amount of irritation creep into his voice, all by design.

 

“We will make camp a little further on.â€

 

Without waiting for an answer Owen continued upwards, noticing the snow that was starting to appear, this high up in the mountains the snow was permanent and could often catch an unwary traveller out. It was another hour or so, before the two men arrived at the location Owen had been heading for, it was a large cave, set back from the cliff edge, and it provided a panoramic view of the land below, them, on a good day it was possible to see Emonds Field from this vantage point. However, today was not such a day and the lands below were totally covered by thick, grey black clouds that threatened to dump their contents at any moment.

 

Ducking into the cave, Owen indicated where supplies had been stored and told Burrich to start a fire and get a hot drink and some food going. “There is something I have to check on then I will return, don’t venture out of the cave, that wind out there could blow you off the mountain.†Turning on his heel, Owen walked out into the gathering storm.

 

By the time Owen returned to the cave, night had fallen, and there was the makings of a blizzard, the wind was just as strong as before, if not stronger. Shaking the snow from his cloak, Owen quickly made his way to the fire and started to warm his hands. When he had worked the cold from his fingers, he removed his weapons and went over to his pack and found some dry socks, removing his boots he quickly took off the damp sock he wore, and placed them near the fire. While Owen was doing this Burrich sat by the fire stirring the contents of the large pot he was using to cook their food. Owen sniffed at the contents and then smiled at Burrich, “That smells very good my friend, how long before it is ready?â€

 

“A few more minutes should suffice Owen.†Burrich handed Owen a mug of hot tea and continued stirring the contents of the pot.

 

It was not long before the stew was ready, and while Burrich doled it into two bowls, Owen cut some slices from the loaf he had brought and handed two to Burrich in return for the bowl of stew. “Fair exchange is no robbery.†Owen winked at his companion as he said it, and then started to eat the stew, occasionally dipping his bread into the bowl and soaking up the gravy. By the time the two men had finished eating and cleared up, it was fully dark outside and Owen decided it would be best for them to get some rest. “We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow Burrich, and after the climb up here today, I think we could both do with an early night, I will see you in the morning.†With that Owen started laying out his blankets on one side of the fire, the side nearest the cave entrance

 

Later that night, after Owen had assured himself that Burrich was well asleep, Owen left his blankets and quickly got dressed. When he was finished he poked Burrich with his toe and once he was awake told him to get his things together, there was something that needed doing, and had to be done now. With that Owen left the cave and moved towards the edge of the ledge outside the cave. With the snow swirling around in the increasing wind, Burrich could not see where Owen went, but found his footprints easy enough to follow in the snow in the ground.

 

As Owen came into sight, he had his back to Burrich, and was stood, poised, on the very edge of the cliff. Without turning Owen addressed Burrich.

 

“There comes a time when all of us have to do things that we would rather not, that is what is in front of you tonight Burrich. If you die up here, you die alone, unlamented, and with your body never to be found. You need to face this fear and demonstrate to me, and more notably, to yourself, that you are ready to do this.â€

 

Without waiting, Owen stepped out into the abyss and disappeared from Burrich’s view.

 

“Will you follow me into hell Burrich?†Owen’s voice floated up on the wind, before being snatched away.â€

 

Snickering to himself, Owen lay in the gorse bushes, sucking on a thorn cut to his thumb, knowing full well what must be going through Burrich’s mind right now, Owen could not keep the wolfish smile from his face. Although the drop was a long one, the bushes at the bottom more than cushioned the fall. This test was a matter of sublimating common sense, and allowing your instincts to take over, Owen hoped that Burrich would have the nerve to do this, but that was yet to be seen.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Asfaloth]

"Will you follow me into hell Burrich?"

 

That was the last thing Burrich heard or saw of Owen. The man was crazy. He had spoken of the difficulty of doing things one would rather not have to do and then warned rather caustically that failing this test could mean Burrich's death alone and unmpurned at the top of the mountain. Then, without any further explanation, he had simply stepped into the clouds. Burrich's first thought was that the the fog was too thick and covered the rest of the trail. Except, Owen had yelled as he fell. Burrich suspected he had done this on purpose to make sure he knew that it was indeed a cliff, and with a long way to fall if his sense of hearing didn't deceive him.

 

He hadn't been training with Owen for long now, only a little over a week, but this was just about the last thing he had expected. The last time they'd trained together Owen had stressed the importance of trusting each other, and now he was leaving him here by himself? What was this all about? No, wait, he hadn't just told him to fend for himself or die. Owen had challenged him to follow him into hell. Had he really expected him to jump off a cliff to his death just because he had?

 

This was insane. If anything Burrich should return to the Stedding and get help. Maybe with others to help they'd be able to find the Ranger Leader's body. Then again, maybe not, Burrich wasn't even sure he could find this place again to start the search. But why had Owen told him to follow? If he knew he was falling to his death why would he say that? Why wouldn't he instead caution him not to follow?

 

This wasn't making sense, but he just kept coming back to the same two things. First of all, time and again while working in the inn he had heard Owen speak on the importance of trust. Secondly, Owen had told him to follow. He had to trust that he knew what he was doing. He had to trust that stepping off the cliff wouldn't mean his death.

 

Having decided on a course of action, Burrcih took a deep breath and stepped off.

 

It was a long drop.

 

Too long.

 

It left too much time to think. Burrich had plenty of time to regret his decision. Plenty of time to realize he was going to die. This was too long a drop to result in anything but death.

 

Suddenly, his fall ended as he crashed through several feet of bushes and moss. By the time he reached the ground it was nothing worse than a two foot drop would have been. Rolling over onto his back he looked up and saw Owen giving him a rather wolfish grin.

 

"Well, if this is hell, it's colder than I expected."

[WhiteWolf]

"This is my own special hell Burrich, a hell Guardians must conquer before they can move on. What we have done here tonight is an important step in your advancement, both in rank and as a person. This is a night that will stay with you forever, something you can draw confidence from, something that will remind you that even though every sense in your body was telling you not to, you had the courage, and trust, to do otherwise. That is not an accomplishment that you should ever belittle, or allow anyone else to."

 

Owen let Burrich have a moment to absorb what he had just said. Signalling to Burrich, Owen led the Guardian away from the gorse bushes and down a small trail. In the distance a light could be seen, well below their current position, but the trail was easy for the two men to see and they quickly covered the distance to the light.

 

Owen indicated that Burrich should enter the camp first, and after a moments hesitation he did so to be greeted by the sight of Rangers and Guardians standing up and applauding. Nights fire's voice could be heard over the applause. "So Owen, you have managed to convince another poor soul that it is common sense to jump off a cliff with no idea where you are going to end up?" As the applause died down, it was replaced with good-natured laughter, as many around the campfire remembered their time with Owen wondering just how insane their leader was.

 

"You know me John, I never let anything stand between the opportunity to see the expression on the face of someone who has just realised I am not as mad as a stick, I well remember the expression on your face that fateful night." Again laughter erupted around the group, with many of them coming forward to shake hands with Burrich and pat him on the back.

 

Later that night as they were all gathered around the fire, Owen, with a tankard of Dark in his hand, called for silence and then faced Burrich.

 

"Tonight you have taken your first step along the road to serving your fellow Wolfkin. All here have walked the same road you are now embarking up on, many did not complete that journey but those who stand before you now, did. You can rely on them as much as you would rely on yourself, and know that in the darkest moments they will be with you. You have done well this past week, Burrich, continue to do so and you to will be able to call yourself a Ranger."

 

Owen

WhiteWolf

Ranger Leader