Ginger's Basic Training consisted of simple starting battle techniques and strategies; scraping claws against wood to test their raw durability, more dry takeoffs, and stretching wings and legs to help increase flexibility. It went on for about an hour, and then Nyra told the young owl to pause when she was about to start a takeoff.
"Yes, Nyra?"
"You've proven yourself worthy of soldierhood so far."
"That's good."
"You have one final assignment before I consider you ready."
"What would that be?"
"Take these."
Nyra placed a pair of rusty metal objects at Ginger's feet. They were shaped like an owl's talons, and were hollow on the inside. Ginger stared at them with interest.
"What are they?"
"They are training claws, young'un. Try them on."
Ginger slipped her talons into foot part, encased her lower legs in the metal leg casts, and pulled a string on each one, fitting them. They fit perfectly on her talons, but they were a bit heavy.
"Will these weigh me down when I fly, by any chance?"
"You'll get used to it. All of the other owls in our army had to. But you'll probably get a lighter pair than that. Those are just for this test."
"Alright...so...what's my test going to be?"
Nyra pointed with her wing at a wooden owl that had been standing in the corner while Ginger was training. There was a red line drawn across its neck, and it had a red circle around where its heart would be if it were alive. It's wings and feet were painted yellow.
"That's what we like to call a test dummy, Ginger. All you need to do is deal some serious damage to it."
"Sounds simple enough."
"Your grade will be based off of where you did the damage. You only have one go at it, though."
"Is that so?...Well...Where should I aim?"
"I'm not going to give you a direct answer, but I will say that it's better to aim for more vital areas."
"Alright...I'll give it a shot."
"Give it your best one."
Ginger performed a dry takeoff, which was hard considering the weight of the rusty battleclaws pulling her down, and took aim at the wooden statue once she was high enough above the ground. Then, she flapped her wings exceedingly hard to get herself ready for a dive, then folded them and shot downward at the target. Once she was only a foot away from it, she unfolded her wings, extended her starboard foot and with one powerful swipe, slashed her claws across the dummy's neck, severing its entire head, twisted 180, then landed right next to where it was as it flew in another direction. The head landed at Ginger's talons.
"Alright, that's an automatic A+." Nyra was impressed yet again.
"What's an A+?"
"You don't know? It's a passing grade."
"Um..."
"You know, you grade by letters in the alphabet, A, B, C..."
Ginger remained silent.
"Ohhh, that's right, you're from the outside and you...can't...read...like...we can. Now I feel stupid."
"No, no, no, no, it's gotta be my fault!"
Ginger didn't want this royal owl thinking bad of herself because of her mistakes.
"Ah, no, it's nobody's fault. Not a lot of owls can read. Mainly owls with higher authority in our land are the ones able to do so."
Ginger's white face feathers turned pink.
"Don't fret over it, it's something every owl can learn."
"If you say so."
"Anyway, you passed...better than I've ever seen any other trainee pass."
Ginger sighed with relief.
"And now that you have, it's time you meet the other trainees."
"There are others?"
"Indeed, young Ginger. And you're fit to be one of them."
"I am?"
"Yes. Leave behind those burdening metal claws and follow in my wake."
Ginger discarded the ugly battleclaws and started after Nyra, who had already started flying away.