Disclaimer: I don't own. Except the charries.
I should actually be writing a paper at the moment...bleh.
Reviewer response! Only one this time! *cries for a short time*
Darkfyre: Actually, what happened is that a: Liluye's body was in overload- it takes ENERGY to sould-bond, ya know? And if you add in weapons- training...you collapse for a couple hours. And b: Kree decided on his own that Liluye needed about a day of rest and so "pulled" her soul into his own body for a while-basically a guided mental ride, except he kept her there so her body could sleep. I'm assuming in Hawkbrother customs, this is usually forbidden because it runs perilously close to coercion, but Liluye isn't a Hawkbrother and Kree has a mind of his own.
Yup.
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
Onto the story! And this is the trainees foray into the field immediately around Wanderersrest, Wanderer's training base. They're on a "scouting mission." Oh, and the kind of troops the Wanderers are-they're basically very light cavalry, saboteurs-they ride mountain ponies and light, surefooted horses, so they're really fast on rough terrain. Chester and Dusty (Helia's horse) managed to scrape in-Chester happens to be the only horse who will allow Kree to land on his rider's arm at the moment, so they need that, or they'd have a broken Liluye...
Now, really onto the story!
--------------------------------------------
I rode Chester easily enough, my twin axes riding at each hip. Kree flew above, and Helia rode beside me.
This was our first training mission, and along with Helia and I there were eight others and an officer.
This would also be the test of how to use Kree. The other half of my training group was playing the "enemy," and our mission was to scout them out, find them, and ambush them.
Kree wore peculiar "boot" on his talons-he would dive and hit lightly with a fisted talon while dodging cushioned arrows. We didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Kree.
The trainee leading our group glanced nervously at the officer and said, "Form a circle around Liluye. Liluye?"
"Ready, sir."
I grabbed a strap affixed to my saddle and fastened myself to Chester's back, then fell into trance and into Kree's mind.
:Bondmate ready?:
:Yes indeed.:
:We go.:
Kree/I wove in the pattern which meant that I was with Kree's mind, and we soared upwards.
Wheeling above the trees, we looked for the tell-tales a careless enemy might leave. Kree's exceptionally sharp vision picked them out almost instantly-a thin trail of smoke, trampled ground in a clearing.
Weaving under the trees now, we looked for other signs.
Here was where Kree was a bit awkward-the trees were smaller than in the Pelagiris, and sometimes he misjudged things, accidentally clipping branches with his wingtips.
There was a game-trail, at first glance merely heavily used by animals, but on a second look revealed an iron-shod hoofprint on the side of the path.
Kree picked out voices, and we wheeled nearer.
The "enemy" camp was in a small, bushy clearing which both screened them from sight and us from sight.
:I'm leaving,: I said to Kree, and returned to my body.
My party was in a tight circle around me as if protecting a mage. I said, quietly, "About a quarter-mile north and a bit east. They're surrounded by scrub which'll screen us from view. Kree's waiting for us."
We headed the way I had gone with Kree.
Leaving the horses tethered, we slipped up on our bellies to Kree.
The leader poked one of us, who poked Helia, who poked me, and I poked the person next to me.
It continued until we heard a slight rustling pattern.
We leapt into the clearing, taking the "enemy" by surprise.
Some of them shot arrows with red chalk in them at us; a person hit "died."
I wielded my axes-both cushioned and covered in red chalk-hitting with remarkable accuracy.
The "officer" of our team had set up a small pile of red chalk balls-Helia and a man I remembered as Jaonsen lobbed them at the enemy. Kree would carry the real, deadly versions of these in battle-but since he was wearing the "boots," he couldn't in this practice run.
Some of the "enemy" shot arrows up at him. Kree was amazing to watch as he displayed nearly supernatural speed and agility, sideslipping in midair, flaring as if in a mating display-then shooting upwards. Spontaneous applause rose up from the "dead" and "wounded."
At last, my group defeated the "enemy," but at a high cost. Helia was "dead," as were five others, leaving only me and the "officer" "alive."
Kree had accounted for nearly half the enemy "casualties-" obviously, most did not expect an attack by air.
The real officer now came into the center of the clearing, hands on hips. "Good job, "Officer" Leon, good job "enemy," and wonderful job "protecting" Liluye while she was in trance. And you did wonderfully, Kree!"
Kree was currently hovering by me as I stripped the boots off his talons. Kree preened slightly, then settled on my arm, paying strict attention.
"Now, "enemy," when you are asked to do this again, remember to set sentries, to not set fires, and make sure your horses' feet are covered. "Scouts," you need to pay sharper attention to your surroundings when protecting Liluye. If I were the enemy, I could have shot her before any of you knew it. Overall, a good job, everyone. Clean up and head back."
Tossing Kree into the air again, I did my part to pick up arrows and other bits of litter. Everyone tossed it into a bag that Helia was holding, then mounted up and headed back.
--------------------------------------
Short, I know, but Action showed up! Hopefully, Rrissa will let me boot Liluye into the field one of these days...
Reviews are loved:
~Fireblade K'Chona
I should actually be writing a paper at the moment...bleh.
Reviewer response! Only one this time! *cries for a short time*
Darkfyre: Actually, what happened is that a: Liluye's body was in overload- it takes ENERGY to sould-bond, ya know? And if you add in weapons- training...you collapse for a couple hours. And b: Kree decided on his own that Liluye needed about a day of rest and so "pulled" her soul into his own body for a while-basically a guided mental ride, except he kept her there so her body could sleep. I'm assuming in Hawkbrother customs, this is usually forbidden because it runs perilously close to coercion, but Liluye isn't a Hawkbrother and Kree has a mind of his own.
Yup.
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
Onto the story! And this is the trainees foray into the field immediately around Wanderersrest, Wanderer's training base. They're on a "scouting mission." Oh, and the kind of troops the Wanderers are-they're basically very light cavalry, saboteurs-they ride mountain ponies and light, surefooted horses, so they're really fast on rough terrain. Chester and Dusty (Helia's horse) managed to scrape in-Chester happens to be the only horse who will allow Kree to land on his rider's arm at the moment, so they need that, or they'd have a broken Liluye...
Now, really onto the story!
--------------------------------------------
I rode Chester easily enough, my twin axes riding at each hip. Kree flew above, and Helia rode beside me.
This was our first training mission, and along with Helia and I there were eight others and an officer.
This would also be the test of how to use Kree. The other half of my training group was playing the "enemy," and our mission was to scout them out, find them, and ambush them.
Kree wore peculiar "boot" on his talons-he would dive and hit lightly with a fisted talon while dodging cushioned arrows. We didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Kree.
The trainee leading our group glanced nervously at the officer and said, "Form a circle around Liluye. Liluye?"
"Ready, sir."
I grabbed a strap affixed to my saddle and fastened myself to Chester's back, then fell into trance and into Kree's mind.
:Bondmate ready?:
:Yes indeed.:
:We go.:
Kree/I wove in the pattern which meant that I was with Kree's mind, and we soared upwards.
Wheeling above the trees, we looked for the tell-tales a careless enemy might leave. Kree's exceptionally sharp vision picked them out almost instantly-a thin trail of smoke, trampled ground in a clearing.
Weaving under the trees now, we looked for other signs.
Here was where Kree was a bit awkward-the trees were smaller than in the Pelagiris, and sometimes he misjudged things, accidentally clipping branches with his wingtips.
There was a game-trail, at first glance merely heavily used by animals, but on a second look revealed an iron-shod hoofprint on the side of the path.
Kree picked out voices, and we wheeled nearer.
The "enemy" camp was in a small, bushy clearing which both screened them from sight and us from sight.
:I'm leaving,: I said to Kree, and returned to my body.
My party was in a tight circle around me as if protecting a mage. I said, quietly, "About a quarter-mile north and a bit east. They're surrounded by scrub which'll screen us from view. Kree's waiting for us."
We headed the way I had gone with Kree.
Leaving the horses tethered, we slipped up on our bellies to Kree.
The leader poked one of us, who poked Helia, who poked me, and I poked the person next to me.
It continued until we heard a slight rustling pattern.
We leapt into the clearing, taking the "enemy" by surprise.
Some of them shot arrows with red chalk in them at us; a person hit "died."
I wielded my axes-both cushioned and covered in red chalk-hitting with remarkable accuracy.
The "officer" of our team had set up a small pile of red chalk balls-Helia and a man I remembered as Jaonsen lobbed them at the enemy. Kree would carry the real, deadly versions of these in battle-but since he was wearing the "boots," he couldn't in this practice run.
Some of the "enemy" shot arrows up at him. Kree was amazing to watch as he displayed nearly supernatural speed and agility, sideslipping in midair, flaring as if in a mating display-then shooting upwards. Spontaneous applause rose up from the "dead" and "wounded."
At last, my group defeated the "enemy," but at a high cost. Helia was "dead," as were five others, leaving only me and the "officer" "alive."
Kree had accounted for nearly half the enemy "casualties-" obviously, most did not expect an attack by air.
The real officer now came into the center of the clearing, hands on hips. "Good job, "Officer" Leon, good job "enemy," and wonderful job "protecting" Liluye while she was in trance. And you did wonderfully, Kree!"
Kree was currently hovering by me as I stripped the boots off his talons. Kree preened slightly, then settled on my arm, paying strict attention.
"Now, "enemy," when you are asked to do this again, remember to set sentries, to not set fires, and make sure your horses' feet are covered. "Scouts," you need to pay sharper attention to your surroundings when protecting Liluye. If I were the enemy, I could have shot her before any of you knew it. Overall, a good job, everyone. Clean up and head back."
Tossing Kree into the air again, I did my part to pick up arrows and other bits of litter. Everyone tossed it into a bag that Helia was holding, then mounted up and headed back.
--------------------------------------
Short, I know, but Action showed up! Hopefully, Rrissa will let me boot Liluye into the field one of these days...
Reviews are loved:
~Fireblade K'Chona