After Cairma left, he stood and moved to the door, locking it. Turning his back to the door, he sagged against it and let out a heavy sigh. He was incredibly relieved that he wouldn't be thrown out, Light! That was the last thing he wanted. but he still had no idea what to do about Sahra and Sana.

He tilted his head back until it hit the door with a soft thud and his gaze settled once more on the ceiling. Running a hand through his hair, he struggled to come to some sort of conclusion. He wanted to be with her so much, but it was clear that, despite what had occured tonight, she had feelings for Sana.

Gripping his hair in his hand he proceeded to bang the back of his head against the door softly several times. In truth, he knew what he was going to do. There was really only one option open to him. He wanted Sahra to be happy, and would do just about whatever it took to make that happen. Even if it meant bowing out and letting her be with Ursana, if that's what she wanted. He wasn't sure how he would go back to just being her friend, but he would just have to find a way. If she had taught him nothing else, Cairma had taught him that there was always a way... You just have to be willing to make the occasional sacrifice.

Closing his eyes, Fior took comfort from his resolve. As he let his head settle softly against the door once more, he pushed down the thoughts raging inside his head and struggled to calm his racing heart. In the end, the decision was hers. No one could make it for her, and neither he, nor Ursana, had any right to expect anything of her. Cursing the honor that was his borderland heritage, he sighed again.

I really should get some sleep.

Fior Canain

Exhausted

"Who am I? I'm Ransom Terrin." He said, mistaking what she said. "And what you're doing wrong is the knot. One good twist and whatever you've snared will break free and you'll be left with nothing but a spent trap." He took a step forward to demonstrate the proper knot, but never made it where he was headed.

As the image of a pig eating stew from a spoon flashed through his head, his world was turned upside down and he found himself dangling by the ankle and staring into a pair of laughing blue eyes that were oddly familiar...

His first step made her smile for the first time since their engagment. -Wolf Stew- she thought as one of her previously laid traps was snagged and Ransom was rushed head over feet into the air. Standing up carefully and looked to him with a smug look and her hands on her hips.

"You were saying?"

The world spun slowly around and forced him to look into those blue eyes over and over again. He could see his cloak brushing the ground above him and, as the world continued to revolve, he saw that several items had fallen out. Among them were a small Kettle, a book*, and his pouch of chalk and charcoal.

As the world brought her back around to face him, he answered, "You weren't tying the other one the same way you tied this one." Pointing at his ankle and then at the rope on the ground he continued, "That one would slip right off."

She smiled carefully and walked over and picked up the charcoal, only momentarily reading the title on the book --Too boring looking!-- She looked him carefully in the eyes. She noticed that his had yet to change and were of a deep brown with the flecks of the gold crawling around the iris. She smiled and tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully but not letting her actual thoughts betray her as she held the image of a pig within them. "I know many knots, and it would have been fine. I had yet to tighen it." She paused, "Ransom.." She tested his name carefully. "I don't know you. Are you some sort of spy or a pig?"

At her question, Ransom became worried. Looking down towards the sky, he examined his stomach carefully. "What? Is there blubber? I don't recall being a pig." Looking back up at her he cocked his head to the side and smiled, albeit a little red-faced. "What about you? What's your name? Are you a pig? You don't look like a pig. A bit like a wolf, but not a pig."

"That's because I am a wolf." She retorted in a way that indicated that he was seriously stating the obvious in a very stupid way. Placing her hands on her hips she frowned at him in a no-nonsense kind of way. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

"I smelled something." Cocking his head to the other side, he looked up at her appraisingly. "Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure it was you."

She wrinkled her nose, - Now she looks like a rabbit. - "I almost don't want to ask what I smell like. Seems a little shifty to me." She put a hand in her pocket and watched him carefully. "But you're pretty stupid for getting caught in a trap. Considering you seem to know so much about them."

"You smell a bit like wild raspberries and ginseng... with an earthy smell I can't quite place." - Ramsons? - Eyeing her down and up he watched her for as long as he could until the world took her behind him again. He could feel that his face was becoming quite warm now and, as the world carried her back into view, he said, "I'd expect to be caught in a well made trap. However," Pointing again at the trap on the ground, "That is not a well made one."

Korrena wasn't entirly sure what to make of him. First he insults her, and then compliments her. Narrowing her eyes at him she glared. "I don't think I like you."

Ransom looked up into her golden-blue eyes and frowned. "Why not? I was only trying to help."

"No, you were going to show me how it was done because your a male and you have to always have to have the answers." She pointedly poked his head.

As she reached down to poke him, he was grabbed by a whim and reached up with both hands. Pulling her close to him with ease, he tilted his head forward and kissed her firmly on the mouth.

After several seconds he broke the kiss and smiled garishly at her. He could not remember what she had been talking about. - Something about answers. - "What was the question?"

He caught her wide mouthed open and speachless and as she pulled away there was not a thought registering. "Wa..-" She tried to say soemthing but was only recieving a grin in return as her thoughts came back down for the huge shock to her system. "Wa--" She blinked.... He ... just... .... She would have stumbled back if she knew that her legs were in existence, but the blood soon started to rush to her cheeks as her hands flew for her lips, the charcoal making a small mark on her cheek and a small cloth that must have been in her other hand also hid her lips. "bu.. -"

Click

"YOU KISSED ME! YOU ARROGANT PIG!"

He continued smiling as she dangled upside down in his arms. She rubbed his charcoal and a small, dirty brown cloth on her face and then, out of nowhere, started shouting.

"Wait a second! I thought we established that neither of us were pigs!" He replied in a firm voice.

Her eyes opened wide as a stuffed pig entered her mind and she then smiled at him sweetly and pushed herself out of his grasp. Turning around she hummed carefully walking over to a sack that she had set aside with her ropes and other trinkets. it was never far from her if not always on her person. Pulling out a string of rope she turned to smile at him sweetly. "No, you are a Pig. And do you know what I do to pigs?" Her smile changed to that of an mischievious smirk.

His eye's followed her quizically as she pulled a second rope from her pack and she walked back towards him. As she called him a pig, he reached back to check his butt. - No, I didn't think I had a tail. - When she finished talking and began smiling at him in a manner he found most disconcerting, he looked up at her and frowned. "No, I can't say that I do... But somehow I get the feeling I'm about to find out."

"You have a really big mouth." She glared at him. Playing with the rope in her hands, she lasso-ed it into a circle and then tossed it around his arms with surprising speed, tightinging them instantly and knotting them before he could get loose. "And I don't like being kissed without being asked." --bloody pig stole my first kiss!!-- She scowled as she worked and proceeded to tie him up as he dangled from the tree.

He opened his mouth wide and gnawed at the air for a couple of seconds. He didn't think he had a big mouth. - Guess I'll have to ask around. - Shock echoed through him as the rope was cinched tightly around shoulders. Making a mental note of her words about asking, he looked up at her as she proceeded to tie the rope around him and knot it off.

"Now that's a good knot."

"Of course." She said simply as she finished off the knot. Taking a small step back she surveyed her handywork carefully and then pulled off her soft skin boots and then her sock, replaced the boot and then ravelled up the sock into a ball. Wrapping the cloth around the sock she smiled at him sweetly. "And there will be no huffing tonight." And then tied the sock into his mouth, despite the struggle he gave her.

As she removed her sock, he had the image of a stuffed and spitted pig flash before his eyes, and he was hit with a sudden sense of foreboding. He could smell the sock before it got near his face, and there was simply nothing pleasant about it. "Wai.. No! Not that! Anyth.... gggghhhh!" His protests were cut short as the rancid ball was tied into place. He struggled valiantly, but to little avail, and was left with the mingled flavors of sweat, dirt, and oddly enough... garlic.

She grinned as he protested against the gag as a image of a garlic clove floated to her head. --He is a weird one.-- And pulling out the charcoal from the pocket she had placed it in she took it to his forehead, scrawling "PIG". Stepping away she smiled.

"Perfect."

"Mmmhhrmm Mmmhmm Hrmmm!" He said, eloquently as she scribbled something on his forehead. "Gmf mmm ck mmm nng!" He demanded, staring at her indignantly. As she started to walk away he added, "L.. mmmmm wnnnnnn!!!"

She turned over to look back at him and smiled sickingly sweet again. "Yes?"

"uuu Mmmm WNNN!!" He replied vehemently. Suddenly he felt waves of amusment coming from several hundred yard to the west. - Well, at least Cloud's enjoying this. -

"Forget it." She giggled. "If you want down, you figure it out." And with that she walked away singing the little piggie rhyme she had spoken what seemed like ages ago.

"..but the little piggie smiled ever so mischieviously

Ah but you are a wrong pig and wolves make great stew

A wolfie stew is what we will have tonight

the pig said as he tied the rope carefully

and there will be no.. --WA!!"

And before she could complete the rhyme her foot snagged a forgotten trap that then pulled her into the air as her cry was cut off by her bouncing in her own trap. The rush of air that sped past her made her temporarily dizzy as words couldn't quite form for the second time that day.

--laughter--

She scowled as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Burn me."

Ransom laughed around the salty gag as the girl was pulled up into the air by one of her own traps. A second wave of amusment flooded from Cloud and he attempted a roguish grin. Relaxing and settling in for a good long wait, he contented himself to watch the world spin it's slow course around him.

Ransom and Korrena

*Title of the book reads as follows: A Crown of Swords

Stalking. Stealth. The prey is near.

Ransom didn't know where he was going, or why he was headed away from the stedding. All he knew was that there was something out there, and he was going to find it. Stalking forwards slowly, he tried to find the right direction, his new senses hindering him as much as aiding.

Sniff.

Oooh, a rabbit.

Ears perking, head darting to the left, Ransom leapt into the nearby bush only to have the creature scurry away from him at the last second. As he lay beneath the bush, staring up into the sky, a part of him laughed and he tried to sniff out his prey again. Picking up the scent he rolled onto his feet and began his stalking again.

Sniff.

Delight.

His prey was happy. Suddenly the image of a... pig flashed into his mind, causing his stomach to remind him that he hadn't eaten yet today. As his mouth began to water he sniffed again. He was close to his prey now. It couldn't be more than a couple of dozen feet away. Crouching low and stalking as quietly as he could, he passed through the brush that separated him from his prey.

Stealth.

Springing suddenly from cover he saw that, sitting where his prey should be, was a girl. She was speaking softly to herself and tying some ropes together. As she turned to face him her words stopped and Ransom saw that she was making a trap. Having made quite a few traps in his day, he decided that it was his obligation to help her.

"You'll never catch anything like that. Here, let me show you how to do it."

Ransom Terrin

OOC: We lost a post, but I'm just gonna skip over it and reply anyway. Basically, Cairma told Fior to assume the Void and walk back to the tower holding it the whole time.

As he heard her words, his stomach knotted. He was having trouble holding it for more than a few minutes. How was he going to make it all the way back to the tower? But still, she was challenging him for a reason, and he wasn't about to back down.

Pulling on the Void a little more easily this time, he blinked again as the world settled into a sharper focus. He focused in on the sound of the streets as he stood, and quickly picked the way back to the main avenue.

As he neared the high walls surrounding the grove, the sounds of the streets grew louder. Stepping from beneath the shade and onto the street he stopped, struck motionless by the sheer force of sensations.

The light was so much brighter now that he wasn't under the shade of the grove, and it left him dazzled. That was nothing compared to the sound though. The dull murmur of the city street was now a ferocious roar. He started to move forwards and bashed into a body in front of him. Feeling nothing, but hearing the disgruntled cries of the owner, he stumbled out into the street further. Reaching the other end of the street, he placed a hand on the wall and fought the urge to release the Void.

Taking several deep breaths, he tightened his hold and struggled to master his senses. After several minutes he began to grow accustomed to the sensory overload. At least enough that he could walk. Pushing himself up, he began the trek back to the Tower. His stomach rumbled against the Void and he realized that he hadn't eaten.

The trek towards the Tower took nearly three times as long as his meandering trip to the grove. But by the time he made it to the Tower gates and returned the guards salute, he had grown somewhat accustomed to the barage of sensation and was able to walk normally.

As he stepped inside the tower gates, he started to release the void but hesitated, wondering how long he could keep it up for before the sheer mental strain broke his concentration. Re-establishing his hold on the Void he headed of in search of food with a sense of determination and a small feeling of pride.

Fior Canain

Trainee

It was a long time before Fior was able to even focus on the image of flame that she was describing. His head was still ablaze with a flurry of questions. Slowly, however, he managed to take all of the questions and push them together into a little ball. Then the ball began burning.

Slowly he concentrated on pushing his feelings into the ball. Emotions, desires, anger, hatred, fear, loathing, even the love for his family. For awhile it seemed pointless. Just as he would wrestle one thought into the flame, another would slip out and begin bouncing around his mind again. His forehead beaded with the effort but, after about half an hour of struggle, he managed to seize the last one and allow the fire to consume it.

For a moment Fior wondered if the fire would continue spreading and overtake him completely, but it slowly receded into a tiny point of flickering light and he felt a vast cold settle around him. As he became accustomed to the stillness around him, he realized that he could hear the slow, rythmic pulsing of Cairma's heartbeat under her breathing. Cautiously he said, "I have done as you asked. There is is now only myself and the Void."

"Open your eyes, and tell me what you know."

Doing as she asked, he took in the clearing around them. Every detail was clearer, sharper. Every sound crisper, every scent stronger. He could feel the wind shifting around him and knew where Cairma was without looking. He could hear the breathing of the squirrel that skittered through the boughs in search of food, see the flakes of bark that fell to the ground with its passing, smell the odor of excitement emmanating from it. The sound of birds preening themselves brushed across his ears, and the wind rang dangerously loud in his ears next to the beating of his own heart.

Tentatively he spoke, the sound of his words thundering through his body. "I can hear things I've never heard before. The blood rushing through my body, the beat of your heart, the sound of a squirrel running through the trees, even the sounds of the city beyond the walls of the Grove. The air feels... more real... tangible. The light is bright, so bright. I feel as though I can count the blades of grass in this clearing. I know where you are. I can almost sense the animals around us, but mostly I know that I am more than my body." As that thought skipped across the surface of the void it burst and he came crashing back into himself, the wave of feelings and thoughts nearly overwhelming his senses.

"Again."

Only after hearing Cairma's voice did he realize that he had cried out. Blushing slightly, he slowed his breathing again, closed his eyes, and began wrestling feelings into the flame. This time he began with embarassment.

Fior Canain

Trainee

Fior felt a cold feeling settle into his core as her words broke roughly over him. He began to shake as he slowly grasped the sheer magnitude of the trouble he was in. Not only had he been outside of the Yard without permission; Light, outside of Tar Valon! They hadn't returned until nearly six hours after curfew. He'd be lucky to get off with a year of mucking the stables for this.

As he stared at the ceiling, the combined stresses of the night threatened to overwhelm him, and his body began to shake. Dropping his hands, he struggled to find control in the void. Several minutes later, the shaking stopped and he sat up slowly, turning to face his mentor. Thrusting thoughts of Sahra from his mind, he forced himself to focus on the issue at hand. He could be thrown out of the tower for this. Light, he honestly couldn't blame Ginae if she did.

Looking Cairma in the eye he began simply, "You're right. I.. I can't... no." Shaking his head he tried again, "What I need to worry about now is how much trouble I'm in. I imagine that the Mistress of Trainees isn't going to be very happy to hear about this...."

Fior stood as he let his voice trail off. Walking to the center of the room, he looked down at Fang sitting on the dresser. Picking it up carefully with both hands, he examined the finely crafted pommel and simple leather sheath for several moments until, finally, he turned slightly towards his mentor and asked, "What do you think she'll do? Do you think I'll be allowed to stay?"

Fior Canain

Regretful

But if I hadn't I'd never have kissed you. Fior laughed at that. "Hmm, I must say, I never thought my first kiss would be to a woman who had tried to castrate me a few moment earlier." He said thoughtfully. "But I can't say I'm terribly dissapointed either." Shrugging at her, he winked garishly and attempted to conjure up the most endearing grin he could muster.

They maintained a light banter throughout the rest of the day and, as the shadows grew long, Sasha suggested stopping. He nodded at her suggestion and offered to meet her in the mess hall in a few minutes. Trotting back to the stables he dropped off the tools and began making his way back. As he passed the fences they had already seen to, he stopped for a moment and surveyed their handy work. Despite it all, he couldn't help but smile. Perhaps the next two weeks wouldn't be as wretched as he had thought. Maybe if he worked hard enough he'd even be able to win Sasha over and make a new friend out of all of this. Turning towards the raucous sounds of the final meal with a lighter spirit, he headed on, marveling at how the Wheel could spin good out of anything.

Fior Canain

Naive

As Fior listened to her explanations he heard a certain hesitation in her voice that he did not understand. The paths all sounded equally appealing, but something about the way she spoke... no, it was more than that... something in her eyes when she spoke of the Path of the Blade made up Fior's mind for him.

But he still had to chose a Philosophy and a Discipline. The Philosophy was really easy, in a weird way. Maxxer had told him all about The Flame in the Void when he was younger. So, with the two sounding equally appealing to him, it was the Void that won the day.

The discipline was a different matter though. He considered what he knew to be his strengths and weaknesses, and tried to find the Discipline that would balance them. He was strong, but he wasn't slow either. He knew that in hand to hand it almost always came down to who could gain the most leverage, not who was larger, or faster. But in Swordplay, speed was as important as strength. His eyes strayed from the grass in front of him to the sword balanced across Cairma's lap. It dawned on him slowly that he already knew what he needed. He had plenty of strength and speed, but he needed to learn how to play the two together if he was ever going to get anywhere.

Smiling slowly he brought his eyes up to meet his mentor's as he spoke. "I have made my decision, but before I tell you, I have one more question. You have asked me to chose a Philosophy and a Discipline, but I want to be the best warrior I can be. From the way you spoke I know that following the Path of the Blade is the way to achieve that goal. Will you guide me down that path?"

Fior Canain

Convicted

Between myself and my reflection.

I just cant help but to wonder,

Which of us do you love.

So I bleed,

I bleed,

And I breathe,

I breathe now...

The site of Cairma entering the door with Beast strapped to her back sobered Fior and drained whatever remaining anger he had in him. She was impressive, even beautiful as she stood in the doorway, easily taking command of the room. She dismissed Sahra and Sana quickly and, without looking at him, asked him for an explanation. He stood there for a moment, a final spark of defiance flashing in his eyes as he stared across the room at her. But no, this was Cairma. He knew that, no matter how she seemed, she only wanted to help him...

Sitting on the edge of his bed, his elbows meeting his knees, he let his head drop into his hands as everything that had happened tonight crashed down around his ears. His composure wavered... for a moment he wished his mother could be there, But no, I'm a man now, and I deal with my own mistakes. Reaching down into his shirt he pulled the medallion out and stared at it as he began his explanation.

"Two days ago we were discussing how to spend our free day, and Sahra mentioned that she wanted to show me this lake she had gone ice skating on as a child..." He paused as that sunk in before continuing. "Needless to say, this pond was outside of Tar Valon. So we started scheming up a way to get out and back before curfew."

Fior looked up at his mentor to see how she was taking all of this. "I know it was wrong, but we figured we could get away with it without getting caught. Well, we left this morning, and spent most of the day skating. Towards evening though, we were playing around on the ice. She was chasing me. I-I don't know what happened exactly. One minute she's right behind me... the next..." Fior stopped and swallowed hard as the moment replayed itself in his head.

After a few seconds he closed his eyes, pushing away the memory. "I turned in time to see her slip beneath the ice.... I knew that I only had a moment before she'd be out of reach..." Swallowing again, the fear he had felt then threatened to overwhelm him. Forcing his eyes open he stared past the medallion in his hands and pressed on. "Anyway, the important thing is that I was able to get her back out before too long. At that point I knew that I had to get her out of her clothes and warm her. We had the blankets that we had brought for our picnic and I made use of them."

Looking up and meeting her gaze, Fior struggled to read what was going on behind those emerald eyes. "It was touch and go for awhile in the darkness. I wasn't sure if she was going to make it... she was so cold, and all she wanted to do was go to sleep... Light, I thought I was going to lose her.." He said, his voice cracking. "I didn't know if my body heat was going to be enough. But after awhile, she slowly drew out of it. I managed to keep her awake and... well... I suppose you already know what happened next."

Running his hands through his hair, Fior stared at the ceiling as he tried to process the events after that. "Everything else is pretty simple. Afterwards we warmed her clothes to the point where they could be worn again. We made our way back to the Yards, and, just after we got back to our room, Sana threw open the door. The rest... well... you heard the rest..."

Wrapping his head in his arms, Fior let his upper body fall back onto the bed and he tried to lose himself in the pattern of the stone. "She almost died because of me. How could I let that happen.... Light!?" Allowing a short, barking laugh to escape his lips he muttered, "How could I have let myself believe that she had feelings for me... of course she wants Sana..."

Fior Canain

Hurt

OOC: Don't worry about it. I'm sorry I haven't posted on this sooner.

Fior set down the bag he had been carrying as he and Sasha reached the fence they were supposed to start on. He bristled a little at her statement, but shrugged it off. They had two weeks together, and it wouldn't do to be starting more fights. Pulling out a few tools he began to explain to her the way a fence was put together, how to clean them properly and test for strength, rot, and several other things he had picked up in his youth.

"At least we don't have to paint them." he said with a chuckle as the two of them set to work. Sahsa didn't reply and, after several minutes of working in silence he tried once more to start a conversation. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for the other day. I really did overreact, and that joke wasn't exactly appropriate. I was just in a bad mood from being late and.. no, no excuses." Shrugging to himself he kneeled and began mending a broken portion of the post. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

Fior Canain

Embarrassed

The sound of the door being opened swung Fior around as he was removing his coat. He started to reach for Fang but, upon seeing it was Sana, thought better of it. Instead he picked up the wash basin on the chest of drawers and prayed that Sana hadn't thought he meant to attack him. Tossing the bowl onto his bed, he examined the man more closely.

Sana's fists were clenched tightly and his body shook with what appeared to be rage. For a moment Fior wondered at that, but then the scene began to sink in and Fior realized how this had to look to Sahra's mentor. Oh blood and bloody ashes! The man thinks I've heart her! Fior's eyes flashed a dangerous shade of emerald as that thought began to settle.

He could feel the heat rise in his face and his hands balled involuntarily. He no longer cared whether Sahra's mentor had seen him reach for Fang. Light, I hope he did. Let him come. Grinding his teeth together he realized that the man would probably leave him on the ground with little effort were they to come to blows, but Fior didn't care....

Then Sahra started to speak, and the heat drained from his face. He realized that Sana was just worried about his mentee, and struggled to unclench his fists. As she told their story he was suddenly overcome with shame. He should have protected her better. He couldn't help but blame himself for what everything. As the reality of what had nearly happened that night began to sink in, Fior felt his knees begin to give way and he suddenly felt very light headed.

Steadying himself with a hand on the dresser, Fior looked from Sahra to Sana and back. He kept his eyes on her delicate face as though afraid she would disappear if he looked away for too long, but that didn't stop him from following her when she stopped speaking.

"It's all my fault really. I should have insisted we head back earlier. Hell, I'm the heavier one... I should have been the one to..." he trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished. Forcing his eyes onto Sana he cleared his throat before continuing. "Anyway, Sir, she's been through enough. If anyone should be punished, it should be me." Locking his eyes onto Sana's, he made certain he wasn't the first to break the gaze.

Fior Canain

Guilty

The silence of the grove was comforting in the still of the early morning. As Fior made his way through the grove, still bewildered as to how he was to find his mentor, a familiar voice rang clearly through the air.

"Welcome to the Grove, Fior." Turning his head, he followed the voice into a small clearing to his left. "Take a seat by that rock beside you."

Obeying her command Fior set the basket on the ground and wondered how she knew he was there. He didn't think he had been that loud. There was little or no underbrush in this forest, and Maxxer had taught him to walk softly through the woods while hunting when he was very young. He words were muted by his thoughts as she turned to him. But he was brought back into the world by her next statement.

"I feel that it is time for you to start more seriously on the path of the blade." He listened attentively to her description of the Philosophies and then the Disciplines. He thought very carefully about what she had told him. The choices were difficult for him. Both the Flame in the Void and the Spring appealed to him. And the disciplines seemed tantalizingly useful in combat. Fior was at a loss to decide which truly suited him. The thoughts poured through his mind as he struggled to choose. Strength. Speed. Balance. Flame. Spring. Void.

Pushing the decision aside he looked up into his mentor's eyes and said, "Before I make my choice, may I ask you two questions?" Seeing her nod, he continued, "First, Why did the Void stop working for you? Second, you mentioned the path of the blade.... What is that? Are these Philosophies and Disciplines both part of it?"

Fior Canain

Trainee

Fior was still trying to wrap his head around Cairma ever having a mentor when the inn keeper, Arie he remembered suddenly, returned with a basket. Blinking at her he barely heard her question and struggled to find the appropriate response.

After several moments he found it and replied, "It seems to me that, while the job of the watch towers is noble and necessary, it is ultimately futile if there are not others seeking a more permanent end to this amaranthine battle. That is why I came to the tower." The words echoed in his ears and, almost as an afterthought he added, "That and, well, it is the tradition of my family to send every second son to the tower to train. But I would have come anyway." Blushing at this admission after so grand a statement, Fior cursed his need to be honest.

"Family brought you here, But i suspect that you will stay on your own accord -- for a time." Aie got an odd thoughtful look in her eyes that none have ever been able to fathom. "Be open minded, Child." She smiled as her look becamse warm, "Do not keep Cairma waiting. She has only so much patience for tardiness."

Smiling, Fior picked up the basket and nodded at the innkeeper. "Thank you for your kind words. I guess I had better get going." Moving towards the door he stopped and turned back to ask how to get back to the main road,but she was already polishing the glasses again and it seemed wrong to interrupt her a second time. Turning back towards the door he stepped back out into the street and began trying to find his way to the grove.

*****

Keeping the tower to his right, Fior attempted to navigate the twisting thoroughfares and make his way back to the main avenue. Several things looked clearer to him, but he was still having difficulty placing his location to the street. However he knew that if he kept heading west he would eventually make it out. Twenty confused minutes later he stepped out into one of the cities pulsing arteries and could clearly see that the tower was directly up the road to his right. Smiling he turned down the road and made his way to the Grove.

*****

Walking into the grove was truly a wonderous experience. Trees of all types stretched off as far as he could see. Stepping beneath the verdant canopy, Fior was awed by the beauty of this place. He had been in forests before, but none that had ever been like this. The grass under foot was soft, and the path was not choked with underbrush as he was accustomed to seeing. He heard the lilting cacophony of birds and insects and marveled at how well the walls kept the sounds of the street from contaminating the air here.

As he continued walking through the grove a small thought brushed past his mind; How am I ever going to find Cairma here? This place is enormous. He stepped over a small stream and could hear the sound of falling water in the distance. The sound of something moving through the brush caught his attention, but even as he turned he knew that it was headed away from him. Toying with the medallion he wore below his shirt thoughtfully he continued into the rich forest and hoped that Cairma would not be too mad for him being late... there was certainly no way he was going to find her anytime soon.

Fior Canain and Arie Ronshor

He could tell that there was something bothering Sahra but, despite her assurances that she was merely worried about their punishment, he couldn't help but think that there was something deeper troubling her. Still, he let it drop. If she wanted me to know, she would tell me. Taking her hand he set his mind on the long trek back and what would inevitably await them at the end.

*****

It was several hours before they made it back, two very cold, very soggy trainees holding each other up for warmth. As they made their way through the city and up to the tower gates, Fior grimaced, knowing what was to come next. The two tower guards standing watch at the West gate raised questioning eyebrows as the two bedraggled lovers reached them. Looks of recognition flashed across the guards faces as the one on the left stepped back into the gatehouse, and the other gave a mischevious smile.

Fior Canain

Very, very cold.

Sahra and Fior laid there in the dark catching their breath and holding each other. He slid out of her as he leaned on his hands avoiding to put his full weight on her. Not being able to see each other was somehow very comforting since she had no idea how he felt and what he thought of this all. He had been very eager at least, as much as her and she had enjoyed it even if it had hurt a bit first. She had no idea if this was how it was supposed to be like since she didn't really have any female friends and males just didn't talk of things the way she assumed girls might. "Fior..." She reached to kiss where she thought his cheek was. "Penny for your thoughts." She bit her lip uncertain about whether she should tell a bit of what she thought. "It was lovely to me and I hope that... well, you liked it too."

The feeling of her lips brushing his cheek brought him out of the daze that clouded his mind. Oh Light, she liked it. There was a twinge in her voice though… “Like it?” He asked with a chuckle. “It was amazing.” He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, lingering there for a moment to drink in her flavor before breaking the kiss.

“Truthfully I was worried that you would be… disappointed.” Remembering the quaver in her voice he suddenly became very self-conscious.

She laughed at him correcting her adjective. She agreed that it had been closer to amazing than merely lovely and she replied the kiss with zeal. She sighed when he pulled off. "No, no, I wasn't disappointed. But really, I don't have any previous experience as you might have noticed." She could feel the heat on her cheeks. Still, unless he had left something untold, he had been as novice to this as her. "Are you... no, what should we do now?"

Laughing, he let his worries slip away as she spoke. “Well, we’re certainly going to be late for curfew,” He said with a grimace. “and I had to cut you out of your clothes, so when we do start back, I’ll probably have to carry you in the blankets. For now though, I’m content here.” Kissing her forehead he added. “Besides, I’m fairly certain I could do better a second time.” He let a small laugh escape into the darkness as he leaned down and kissed her fiercely.

Light, they would be in so much trouble when they got back after curfew. And her clothes were ruined? That would be bad too and people would be guessing things. Her worries were beginning to disperse as her body responded to his renewed excitement. If they were going to be late and all caught up, then why not squeeze everything out this. Sahra guided his hands to touch her the ways she had found pleasurable as their shared passion swept them into the night.

Fior and Sahra

Blanket Buddies

Even as he turned Fior knew what he would see, but that knowledge did nothing to stop the wave of utter panic that threatened to overwhelm him. The shock of seeing Sahra slam into the jagged ring of ice and slip, silently, into it’s depths sent a shiver down his spine that was completely unrelated to the cold. He knew he had only a matter of seconds before it would be too late to save her, but he was paralyzed, a silent battle raging in his mind. His care for Sahra struggled to overwhelm his fear. Focus all your emotions into a single flame, emptying your mind of thought. Cairma’s words echoed in his ears and, embracing the void, he leapt into action.

Landing on his belly he began to roll towards the hole in the ice, spreading his weight evenly as he had been taught by his father. As he reached the edge he offered a quick prayer to the Light that it wasn’t too late and, tearing his mittens off, thrust his arm into the freezing water. After a second or two of flailing around without finding anything he pulled out and, moving closer, thrust his arm into the dark pool up to his right ear. As he fumbled for Sahra he was more grateful for the detached state the void bestowed than he had ever been. The biting cold was little more than a tingle through the dark of the void so, when his hand finally brushed her scalp, he was still able to command his rigid fingers to close around the hair.

The few seconds between grasping her hair and pulling her out were the most excruciating in Fior’s young life. His muscles screamed as he coaxed every ounce of power from his well worked arm. He punched a hand hold in the ice to his left, leaving his knuckles bloody, but the pain registered only momentarily as he grasped the ice and, redoubling his efforts, managed to drag Sahra’s head above water. Changing his hold from her hair to her neck, he continued to pull her out of the water and across the ice to a stable point.

Kneeling worriedly over her, he checked her basic vitals as he told her in a voice that surprised him with it’s calm that everything would be all right. He wasn’t going to let anything happen. He knew he had to get her warm very quickly and there was really only one way to do that now. Helping her to her feet he supported her weight on his shoulder as he propelled the two of them across the ice.

Upon reaching the edge of the ice, Fior tore off his skates and lifted her in his arms. Sprinting to where they had left the blankets he set her down in the snow near the pack and began undressing her. I don’t have time for this, skimmed across the void as he fumbled with the buttons to her coat. Grabbing the kitchen knife they had used to open the wine bottle he proceeded to slice the buttons off and continued with the remainder of her clothes. Slicing through the damp layers of cloth he briefly wondered if she would be upset that he had destroyed her favorite coat. Then there were no clothes left and he lifted her onto the blanket.

Standing, he began to strip his own clothes off. He could feel the numbness settling into his right hand and embraced the void with renewed fervor, as he would need his hand for what was to come next. Tearing off his coat, sweater and thick breeches he blushed as he began to remove his thick woolen small clothes. He probably would have laughed at that had the situation not been so dire. But I can’t afford to have anything blocking my body heat.

From outside the void he realized that, to the casual observer, this would be quite the sight. A full grown man throwing off his clothes as if they were aflame in sub-freezing temperature while completely surrounded by large snow drifts. A laugh bounced off of the void as he removed his now soaked socks and grabbed the second blanket. Throwing it around his back he lay down behind Sahra and wrapped both of them in the large fur comforters.

He began rubbing her vigorously, the action returning warmth to his hand as well as her skin. After several moments she began to push his hands away muttering incomprehensibly and groaning in pain. “I know that it hurts, Mashiara. Just hold on a little longer. We need to get your blood flowing.” He whispered softly to her as he continued to rub her limbs, trying to work life back into her extremities. These moments were vital to her survival, and they stretched on in the darkness, seemingly unending. As her breath steadied and took on a normal rhythm he could feel the warmth returning to her skin. She struggled to turn inside of his arms and he saw her eyes close as she rested her head on his chest. Fearing for her, he shook her gently and got her to open her eyes.

“Stay with me Sahra. We have to keep your blood flowing, and if you fall asleep now you may not wake up. I don’t want to lose you.” He said, pulling her tightly to his chest.

He called her something, a word she had never heard before. It caught her attention and she was a bit more aware when he shook her. He spoke again and called her not to sleep. She had never heard him sound so worried and frightened. For her? It was truly sweet. She smiled against his chest and lifted her hand laboriously to pat his cheek. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

As he held her closer she felt... Light, Fior was most definitely a man and the startled realization flew her eyes wide open. For a moment she was confused and conflicted but then it felt like the most natural thing in the world and she knew why the situation seemed familiar. "I have dreamed of this, of you", she muttered and followed an urge pressing her lips on his. And he responded, oh Light he did. The kiss fired a throb on the pit of her belly and his arms wound tight around her. She had kissed before and she had felt passion but it was nothing when compared to this.

Fior blinked in surprise as she kissed him and found himself returning it as the void melted around him. Suddenly he was very aware that every inch of him was pressed against her. He felt himself blush as the passion of the kiss carried away all thoughts save one. He had only kissed one other woman and that had been under very different circumstances Though a lot of the same parts were involved. He laughed as that thought passed through his head, breaking the kiss, and rolled so that she was beneath him. “Are you su… mmh”

His laughter rang in her ears as he pinned her down under his weight. She closed her eyes as another stab of desire pierced her. For a moment Sana's face swam in her vision but she dismissed it. There was only Fior and she wanted him to be the one to go exploring with as she had never done this before. Silencing him with another kiss, he stopped asking stupid questions and gave in to what his body demanded.

Fior and Sahra

Blanket Buddies

That actually isn't opposed to the opinion I put forth. A darkfriend has to be progressed a certain ways along the path in order for a Wolf/Wolfkin to identify them... it seems as though the question is now, how far is that?

Fior stood back and looked at the area that they had cleared. Though almost half of the lake still lay buried in snow, they had managed to clear a section several dozen paces in diameter, and it had only taken them a few hours. There was still plenty of time for them to skate before heading back, though the sun was getting low in the sky. After getting used to the strange skates he began to test his body's memory. He started simple, skating forwards, turning, stopping. Once he was certain he remembered how to stay upright, he began to try more complex things. He tested himself skating backwards and tried a few simple spins. He continued warming up slowly, progressing until he was certain he could move smoothly across the ice. Alright, now for the fun he thought, skating backwards in front of where she was still attempting spins. He began circling her and winked at her as he said, "So, this the first time you've been skating? You look like a foal finding it's legs for the first time." Stooping as he passed the snow piled along the edge, he scooped up a snowball and chucked it at her. She batted it from the air calmly and grinned at him as she started moving towards him.

"I'm a speed skater, I don't worry about those fancy tricks!" and with that she launched herself into him, throwing him into the snow drift. Climbing back out he saw that she was now on the other side of the rink and raced to catch her.

They continued in this fashion for several hours, occasionally one of them would chuck a snowball at the other, and Fior delighted in taking her hand and turning sharply so that she had to cling to his arm to avoid falling. The sound of their laughter rang clearly across the vale as the twilight began to stretch across the land. Fior knew that if they wanted to minimize the risk of getting in trouble they would have to head back soon, but he wanted to have a little more fun with her first. Testing himself one final time to be certain he was up for it, he began skating towards Sahra who was circling the outer edge near the shore. He came at her from an angle so that she couldn't see him and, just before reaching her called out, "Now it's your turn!" and careened into her, bowling her into a large snow drift. Laughing as he skated several feet away, he waited for her to stand before taking off around the outer edge of the pond. She might be fast, but that meant that turning was harder for her, so he might be able to stay ahead this way. Or at least that's what he hoped.

He focused all his energy into staying ahead of her and refused to look behind him, as that would cost him vital speed. He was certain she was going to catch him when a sound that sent a cold touch of fear through him echoed through the cold dusk air.

CRAAAAAAAAACK!

Fior Canain

Trainee and roommate to Sahra Covenry

So, I figure I should go ahead and get a jump start on this. As some of you may know, I have a Trainee (Fior) at the Warder's Yards that is a channeler, though he does not know it yet and has yet to channel for the first time. I was wondering who I should be talking to about getting all the official stuff out of the way in order to facilitate his smooth transfer to the BT division, though I will be playing him from the Warder Yards for a while longer.

I would like to point something out. Someone earlier in the thread compared the Wolf/wolfkin's ability to smell evil to the Warder's ability to sense shadowspawn. I believe that this is a an extremely apt and valid comparison. The two abilities, as described by the books, are nearly identical. The books also make it abundantly clear that Warders cannot sense Darkfriends because they are not shadowspawn. They simply do not radiate the evil in the same way that Shadowspawn do. I cannot find the passage(or rather I know around where it is but simply do not feel like figuring out which book it's in, but it's one of the first 4), but I know that there is a point where Lan actually tells Perin that he cannot sense Graymen and Darkfriends because they have not gone far enough into the shadow. However it was clear that he could sense Fain. When combined with the number of times that Perrin and the wolves were around DarkFriends and did not know that they were DarkFriends leads me to the conclusion that the wolves smell the evil in a manner that is very similar to the way a Warder senses the evil.

Therefore I posit that Wolves/Wolfkin would not be able to smell all darkfriends. They may be able to get a sense that something wasn't right, they can certainly smell lies (our body chemisty changes when we lie, unless we have been trained specifically to keep it from doing so), and they could smell anyone as far gone as Fain, but a regular DarkFriend would simply smell like a person to them unless they were actively plotting something of Dark intent.

I believe that this is the only logical conclusion that is true to the information provided by the books.

James is all that is awesome and I wish I could bear his children, and this bio is cc'd.

Actually, he's a dirty dirty man and I want nothing to do with his spawn.

Fior looked down at the note one final time before raising his hand to knock on the Mistress of Trainees door. It was in Cairma's hand and said, quite simply,

"I have three tasks for you.

1.) Go to the Mistress of Trainees and request leave of the Yard.

2.) Make your way through the city to an Inn called "The Green Advocate". Once there collect your lunch from the innkeeper and tell them that Cairma sent you.

3.) Come to the Ogier Grove. I will be waiting."

                                -Cairma Vishnu

He could only assume that it was some new step in his training and, as he heard Ginae call for him to enter, he tried to push it from his mind and slid the note in his pocket.

Stepping into the Mistress of Trainees room he stood at attention until she waved him forward. "How can I help you this morning... Fior was it?"

"My mentor requested that I come to you and ask for permission to leave the yards for today. I'm supposed to meet her in the Grove." He told her.

Ginae considered him for a long moment before nodding her head slightly. "Your mentor is Cairma correct? Let her know that I say hi. You're free to go for the day." He couldn't help but smile as he headed for the door. Just before he stepped into the hallway, though, she called out to him once more.

"Oh, and Fior? Do be careful. I wouldn't want you to get injured while training or worse, return with Beast-marks covering you." As he pulled the door shut behind him Fior puzzled over what she meant. Deciding it was inconsequential, he pulled the note back out of his pocket and re-read the second line. The Green Advocate Inn, huh? Well, that shouldn't be too hard to find.

As he passed through the yards he made sure to stop back in the room he shared with Sahra to pick up a long green coat as well as Fang and Bruiser. Heading for the gates he tried to remember if he had ever heard of this inn before. Leave it to Cairma to expect me to find a random Inn in a city I've never lived in. he thought with a laugh.

Passing through the gates he decided to stop and ask one of the Guards on duty if they had ever heard of the place. One of them had, a large man named Bal, and proceeded to give Fior directions. However, after the third turn Fior was completely lost and was having difficulty finding his bearing. The only other time he'd been in the city had been when he had first arrived here with Fiy, and he had gotten equally lost then.

After asking for directions twice more he found himself in a narrow alley way leading between two stone buildings. Stepping over what he could only hope was a pile of discarded clothing he moved through and out into another broad thoroughfare. This street was more crowded than several of the others and he tried to avoid getting caught in the flow of the crowd. Making his way across he saw a promising site just down a side street. The lettering of the sign was done in green and, though that didn't guarrantee that it was The Green Advocate, any place was better than the crowded street he had just passed through. As he neared though the lettering became clearer and he soon was able to see that this was the place he was looking for.

Stepping in out of the street, Fior's eyes took a moment to adjust to the change in brightness. Once they had, however, he saw a large, circular dining room that was mostly empty due to the time of day. A few people were scattered widely around it, but there was not much business to be made this early. Seeing a blonde woman standing behind the bar polishing some glasses, Fior made his way over towards her, and returned her warm smile as she greeted him kindly. "How can I help you today, son?"

Approaching the bar he replied, "I was told to come and collect a lunch from here. My mentor told me to tell you that she sent me. Her name is Cairma Vishnu."

Fior Canain

Trainee

Fior chuckled as she slapped him with her mitten. He hadn't actually been serious anyhow. Her insistance on using their lips had made him grin at first, as he had been taught to use mittens growing up. Nevertheless, it did seem to work better, whether or not she had known that before suggesting it was the real question. Before he started his turn he looked at her for a moment. Two years ago when they had first met he had found her attractive, but as they had settled in as roommates he had decided that friendship was probably the wisest choice and had never acted on that attraction. For two years he had looked at her as a sister, but today, under the afternoon sun, surrounded by the purest snow, he began to see her in a different light. Pushing those thoughts aside though, he proceeded to rub his lips on her face and finished with the tip of her nose.

Setting down his carry sack he began to take the two large fur blankets that they had brought with them out and, clearing a wide swath of snow, laid them down so that they could enjoy their lunch. Flopping down onto the blankets he looked up at his emerald eyed roommate and grinned. "So when will lunch be ready?"

Fior shook his head when the girl spoke up. He had been trying to let her get out of this. He had rapidly begun to realize that what he had told Cairma was at least partially true and couldn't fathom why the git would actually seek out punishment.Blast it! and now he had to work with her.

Hearing her suggestions of working in the armory and the kitchens, Fior quickly decided that he didn't want to be cooped up inside for the remainder of the afternoon, Or however long Cairma'll have us out here for, he thought with a touch of bitterness. But no, he had brought this on himself, and he would find a punishment that he could stand. Sweeping his eyes around the yard, he saw the fence that he had tripped over. It's uppermost horizontal was significantly marred and had a great chunk taken out of it. On a gamble Fior decided to suggest it. "It looks like some of the yard fences could use mending. Perhaps we should do that?"

Fior

Realizing how this must look to her, Fior knew that he was in for it now. Dropping his arms he turned to face his mentor. The fire raging in her eyes matched the fire that had burned in his mere moments before. Taking a deep breath he decided that there was only need for one of them to get in trouble...

"It's my fault Cairma. I lost my temper momentarily. I over-reacted to something she said and wanted an apology that I now see is not needed. I swear to you that I did not hurt her, nor had any intention to." He said, shifting his legs awkwardly to postion himself in a manner that was somewhat less... uncomfortable for him now that his adrenaline was wearing off and the true pain was beginning to set in."I see now that I was in the wrong, and will gladly accept any punishment you see fit." Turning to Sasha he added, "I hope you can forgive me."

Fior Canain

Trainee and Roommate to Sahra