Invisable Kid Attn Firion

[WhiteWolf]

Owen had been presented with a most unusual problem concerning training, how to train a blind person. It was not something he had had to consider before, and looking through the records, in his office, neither would it seem had any of the previous leaders of the Rangers. Owen had tried out several ideas, enlisting the help of two of the Rangers, Galdrian and his brother Aldreas, they were unique among the Wolfkin being brothers.

 

Although the ideas had seemed good ones at the time, once put into practice, the three Rangers soon became convinced that they would not be that beneficial, so Owen had retreated to his office to do some more thinking. The rest of the day passed slowly for him, and as dusk gathered Owen decided to call it a day and head to the Hole in the Wall for something to eat and drink, ever since Iris had left, Owen had spent most evenings there, enjoying the company of the other Wolfkin who liked to be sociable.

 

It was some time later, after a satisfying meal, and a tankard or two of Lentrian Red, that Owen finally realised what he needed to do to help Firion out with his training. Making his excuses, Owen left the small gathering of Wolfkin, and headed back to his home. As he neared the tree where his house was, there was a slight rustling in the underbrush, and a large white female wolf appeared out of the shadows. Grinning to himself, Owen greeted his long time companion and the two of them continued on their way to Owen’s tree house.

 

The next morning dawned clear and bright, and another hot day was in order as Owen finished his morning run and made his way to the Rangers training area which was also used for any weapons practice, not just that which applied to the Rangers.

 

While he waited for Firion to arrive, Owen busied himself, setting what he needed to help Firion learn to handle a staff and defend himself. Owen was still not sure his idea would work, but it had a better chance than anything else he had been able to think of, so he was quietly confident that this would solve his problem.

 

It was not long before Firion arrived, and Owen greeted him warmly, even though the two of them had not really met before. Owen asked Firion about his experience with weapons, and was surprised to learn the young man had had no previous training, which was a first as far as Owen was concerned. Owen led Firion over to a rack containing staffs of various heights and thickness and asked him to choose one that was to his liking. When this was done Owen explained to Firion what today’s lesson would be about, and how he was to proceed.

 

“I have set up two hollowed out pieces of wood, circular in shape, and inside they are half filled by various seeds, this is to allow you to hear them as they swing back and forth on the ropes they are suspended on. One is about waist height, maybe slightly lower, and one is about chest height. As I swing them so the seeds inside them rattle about against the wood. What I want you to do is to hold your staff across your chest, with your hands spaced evenly apart. As you hear one of the targets get close to you, I want you to try and block it with your staff. As you have had no experience before with anything like this, I think you will suffer a few knocks and bruises, but preserver and hopefully you will make progress.†With that Owen moved aside and after making sure Firion was ready, started to swing the two targets back and forth, not to fast, but fast enough to leave a red mark if Firion did not counter them.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

Firion, this is going to be very awkward for you at first, and you will suffer many a bruise. So for your first post I want you to give your reactions to meeting Owen, and to what he is asking you to do, then post trying to block the targets as they swing back and forth, and make sure you read my PM to you before responding to this.

[Xzayne]

Firion was to begin weapon training with Owen today. They had spoken briefly during the Wanderer party and Firion had liked him. He reminded Firion of Cloud Hunter seeing as they were both albinos.

 

As Owen showed, for lack of a better term, Firion the yard he asked Firion to select a staff. Firion already had one in mind, his walking stick, five and a half feet of black oak capped with six inches of steel at both ends.

 

Owen explained how the training was to proceed. "Owen, may please use my own staff for this exercise?" Owen agreed to let him do so. The logs began swinging and Firion attempted to block the sounds, but nevertheless got hit on the body. Then, Firion realized something, the seeds would pile up at the side opposite to the swing of the log.

 

Firion progressed and got a few bloody knuckles and his share of bruises. Eventually he could block most of them, that is until the higher one hit him in the back, after he had parried the waist high log. As he got up he said, "All I've use my staff for is doing tricks, before today. Can we take a break?"

[WhiteWolf]

Owen was surprised by Firion’s request, not half the morning had passed and he wanted a rest. Shaking his head, more in amazement than anything else, Owen wondered if he had been right in offering to train a blind person. “If you feel you need to rest Firion then do so, but I must admit I expect a higher level of stamina from my students, perhaps you should seek out some of the other Wolfkin and ask them to help you build your stamina up, because if this was a real fight, you could not be expecting your opponent to grant you a break, now could you?â€

 

A sheepish expression appeared on Firion’s face, and his reply was not that clear, even to Owen’s enhanced hearing. “I do not mean to sound harsh Firion, obviously you have to over come difficulties that the rest of us can only imagine. It is these difficulties that make you a target, and any opponent worth his salt will use them against you.â€

 

Owen took a water skin over to Firion and pressed it into his hand. “Take a few sips, don’t gulp it, then when you feel ready, continue with your practice, I have to return to my office for a short while then I will return here and we can see how you are progressing.â€

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Xzayne]

Firion took a sip, "Let's get back to training." Firion could hardly believe hard much harder getting bruises was then doing flips and handstands. Then, Firion got an idea, he didn't have to block all of them, he could dodge.

 

So Firion began ducking the high log and occassionally rolling umder the low one. He still had to block a good many of the hits, but it became more like a show or dance than a battle. As he came up after hed had rolled under the lower log he hit his head on the upper log and blacked out.

[WhiteWolf]

Owen could not hide his disbelief as Firion suddenly started to throw himself about the training area. While it might have been slightly more effective than his blocking, if he did that on a battlefield, with his disability, he would find it a short life. As it was, when the log smashed into Firion’s head, Owen shook his own at the stupidity of the young. Walking over to the unconscious Wanderer, Owen removed the stopped from the water skin and poured the contents over Firion’s face.

 

Spluttering, Firion slowly regained consciousness, and Owen helped him to stand up. “What was all that about Firion? Did I ask you to throw yourself about like some mad thing? No I did not, I asked you to block, and block only. If I had wanted to watch an acrobatic display I would go to Emond’s Field when they have a fair. Now do as I asked and stop wasting my time.â€

 

Owen kept his voice level, he was not really mad at Firion, just disappointed that yet again, a Wanderer thought they knew more than he did. With the number of times the Rangers had been called upon to fight, he was sure they knew more about battle tactics than anyone, especially someone who was new to the Wolfkin and even more so someone who was blind.

 

“Actually, I think it would be better if we stopped this lesson and you went to the Infirmary and let a Sage have a look at that bump on your head. Report back here tomorrow morning and we will try again.†Owen turned on his heel, and walked across the training field towards a small group of Ranger who were practicing with their bows. Selecting one from the rack, Owen let his disappoint dissolve and lost himself in shooting some arrows.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

 

OOC: Firion, i would appreciate it if you could put a little more effort into your replies. Six lines is not really good enough and i think you need to give your replies a bit more thought.

[Xzayne]

Firion went to the inn after visiting the sages. He believed the day to be a complete failure. His head and body hurt like he had never felt before. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. He then entered the wolfdream.

 

"Bloody ashes, now I have something else to get in ttrouble for." Firion attempted to wake up. He failed with flying colors. "What have you gotten youself into this time, Firion?" he asked himself. Knowing he would get no answer, he envisioned the training ground. Good no one's here.

 

Cloud Hunter appeared, Except for me, cub.

 

Firion looked at the logs, he now saw how the logs could swing from various angles and how his anticipations had been thrown off. An idea hit Firion so hard he did wake up.

 

He got dressed and headed out in the grey before dawn. He went to the training area and began the blocking exercise, and only blocking. He did this for about an hour before Owen showed up.

 

Firion stopped the logs then spoke, "I know there are a lot of things I'm probably in trouble for, but I think I figured out a way to get around my blindness, at least for training." There was silence. Owen obviously expected him to continue. "You can train me in the Wolfdream. I'm not blind in there. You can show me what to do, what I'm doing wrong, everything." Firion had a big grin on his face, which melted when he smelled no happy emotion coming from Owen.

[WhiteWolf]

OOC: Good post Firion, see what you can make of this one

 

IC:“Why would you assume you are in trouble Firion? You made an honest mistake yesterday, one that under the circumstances is perfectly understandable. You are young, and inexperienced, perhaps a little to sure of your own abilities, and not so sure of mine. Not only do you need to gain my trust, but I have to prove to you that I what I say is the correct way, for now. So let there be no feelings of hurt, disappointment, or failure, you need to remember to do as I ask, prove to me you can, and then we can consider your suggestions, or ideas.â€

 

Owen let Firion stew over that for a while. Eagerness was something that could be both an asset and a hindrance, and in the inexperienced, it usually proved to be the death of them as well. That was something Owen did not want to happen. To Firion or any other Wanderer or Wolfkin.

 

“Now let us consider your idea for a moment. I take it, like my friend Janna, that you have full use of your eyes when you are in the Dream?†Firion nodded his head in reply and Owen continued. “That is all well and good Firion, but you cannot live your life in the Dream, and when you are awake you will still be blind. There is nothing that can change that, no matter how much you may wish that, so what would be the good of training in the Dream, only to have it all come to naught when you are awake?â€

 

“How do you mean Owen?â€

 

“Simple, Firion, very simple. To survive in the real world, you need to use all of your senses, not rely on ones you can only use in the Dream. Here you have to use this,â€

 

Owen grabbed Firion’s nose and gave it a tweak, not a painful one, but one designed to drive home his point.

 

“You also need to use these.â€

 

Owen’s hands shot out and slapped both of Firion’s ears.

 

“Using your sight in the Dream will only hold you back here. You may think that is harsh, but what good would it do you to train in the Dream, and then come back here and find that although you may be more competent with your staff, you still could not see what you were attacking and because you had ignored your other senses, you had not made the progress you think you had. While the Dream may be a substitute, it is not a replacement.â€

 

Owen stopped talking and waited for Firion to answer. He knew it was hard for people who had lost a limb, or one of their senses, to totally come to terms with it, even Janna had had trouble, but come to terms they must and trying to live their lives in the Dream, hale and hearty, was no substitute.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Xzayne]

Firion considered how to answer. He decided Owen was right. "If I can become a gleeman without sight I certainly can fight without sight.

 

Firion focused on hearing. He heard very soft russles of leaves as Owen moved to change the orientaion of the logs.

 

He eventually could sniff out Owen, and he focused his hearing on the logs. Firion got a few bloody knuckles and another bruise on the shoulder, but not much more.

 

Firion turned to Owen, "Better?"

[WhiteWolf]

Owen watched Firion as he tried to defend himself from the swinging logs, all the time Owen was deep in thought, trying to decide if a blind person would ever be able to adequately defend themselves, even with the abilities that being Wolfkin gave a person. As Firion progressed through the day, though, and Owen started to see improvement, he started to believe that he could teach Firion to fight, and to prevent the young man from becoming a burden to others. There was still doubt in Owen’s mind, especially as the logs Firion was defending himself from rattled, thus allowing his heightened hearing to pick out their movement from the background sounds. Owen was uncertain that Firion would do as well against a human opponent, one who did not make a sound when fighting. Owen spoke briefly to Firion in answer to his enquiry about how well he had done, offering some encouragement, but not to much as he did not want to engender a sense of over confidence in Firion. As Firion was about to leave, Owen told him to wait a moment and then started to explain what Firion would be doing for the next few weeks.

 

“Starting tomorrow morning, I want you join my running session, you will need to be here at dawn, and be prepared to exert yourself. Stamina is something that is very important in all aspects of our lives, and yours is not at the level it could be. Do not worry about how you will find your way, I have an idea on how to solve that, so be here tomorrow and we will start building up your stamina.â€

 

“And after that?â€

 

“After that you will continue your practise here, although you will have to do it on your own as I have business elsewhere. Continue that until the end of the week, then, when I return, you can show me how much improvement you have made and we can move onto the second stage of these lessons. But, be warned Firion, the next part of your training will not be as easy as this part, and will cost you many bruises.†Owen paused, letting Firion absorb what he had said. “But, if you are to progress, then the price you must pay are a few bruises. It is better to be injured in training, than in battle, so prepare yourself and you will prevail, I will see you tomorrow morning Firion.â€

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

OOC:Firion, you would not be able to sniff Owen out as you put it, he masks his emotions/scent at all times, even from his fellow Wolfkin.

[Xzayne]

OOC: Sorry I haven't posted for a few months my new comp was supposed to arrive like two weeks ago and I've been looking for a job.

 

IC: Firion woke early. He praticed his flips and tumbles, warming up his muscles for the run. Firion has had a long dislike of running. The distances in his hearing became distorted. He didn't really know why it happened it just did.

 

Firion met Owen at the appointed time and place. "So Owen, How should I find my way? My hearing is almost useless for judging distances at speed. Smelling is difficult as well." Firion began to whistle as he often did when nervous. He was attemping to whistle like the birds, and coming very close in his opinion.

 

"So you said we are to run. We should get going then." Firion got up an began doing his tumbling stretches.