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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 25, 2010 22:27:24 GMT -5
Robin sat up on Digger's back as the pony moseyed down the dirt path on the way to pick up his new apprentice. Apprentice... He'd scarcely heard the word not applied to him. This would be a necessary adjustment. Despite his better judgment, Robin had spent the past twenty-four hours imagining his apprentice. The notice hadn't told him much about the boy, so his mind was free to wander on the subject. All sorts of things occurred to him: possible strengths, flaws, quirks... Mostly, Robin just hoped the kid was easier to deal with than he had been at the beginning of his apprenticeship. Of course, he was that 'Joshua' fellow's great(?) nephew, which earned him some points. He'd never personally met the man, but he'd heard good things. Good man, good Ranger.
Robin was invigorated with anticipation. The excitement was bubbling up in his stomach--or at least, it was trying to. He beat it back down ruthlessly with the metaphorical broom that was his indomitable willpower.
"You know what this means, Digger?" he said quietly.
The horse rumbled and shook its head as if to respond, 'No, what?'
Robin chuckled and his mouth turned up at the corners as he said, "You'll have to start sharing your apples."
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Sept 27, 2010 8:39:48 GMT -5
Riley and Joshua sat on a log near the edge of the forest, waiting for the Ranger to arrive. They were seated there for two reasons. One: Joshua hoped to keep Riley from getting into a scrape, and two: Ranger TwoBars had told Joshua that Riley's chosen mentor should be arriving at some point around mid-day--the Ranger's name was Robin Dale.
(When Joshua had finally talked Two Bars into considering Riley for the Rangers, Two Bars had insisted that it be another Ranger. He himself was unable to take Riley on as his "job situation" as he called it, would not allow it. Whatever his job situation was--Joshua had mumbled something about Two Bars not being in any danger of getting kicked out any time soon. Whatever he meant by that.)
So the two sat waiting, one with the utmost patience, the other--Riley--with not so much patience and more than a little nervousness. Not that Riley would admit it to anyone--least of all his uncle. And although he wanted to demand of Uncle Josh just what his mentor-to-be looked like, he kept silent, hoping that eventually, his uncle would give in and tell him, without his asking for the information.
"Why can't you use this much patience when yer around them other boys?" mumbled Joshua. Josh had a habit of mumbling and muttering, mostly to himself, in a low voice that hardly anyone heard or noticed. He had a reputation for being very quiet....if you discounted the mumbling.
Riley scowled at his uncle's question. "Because they don't keep they're mouths shut an' leave me alone, like you do." he responded.
The quiet settled in the air surrounding them once more, as each sat, buried in their own thoughts, yet aware of their surroundings. Joshua sat still as stone, chin propped on one fist; but every once in a while, Riley fidgeted.
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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 27, 2010 15:01:35 GMT -5
Robin rounded a long bend in the road and as he did, two figures became visible, sitting at the forest's edge. It would be a few more seconds before they noticed him, since right now, he probably resembled a tree blowing in the wind than he did a man on a horse. Ranger cloaks had the affect on most people. Then it was a stretch of straight road that they walked on and they were in plain view of the two waiting. Robin didn't speed up. However long they'd been waiting, they could hold on for another thirty seconds or so. He used this brief moment of peace to look at the sky. It was beautifully blue that day with a single cloud drifting overhead. Then the trees--the living shadows that he called home for most of his life. Then Digger. Digger was kind of stupid, but Robin loved him regardless.
The remaining distance was closed and Robin dismounted, walking with no apparent excitement, but at a brisk pace. Then he stopped on the dime, extended a hand and said, "Hello, Joshua."
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Sept 27, 2010 15:28:18 GMT -5
They heard the horse walking down the trail, and Riley started to turn his head to look for the source of the sound, but stopped when he spotted his uncles knuckles whitening. he could almost hear the message that Joshua was sending him-- Don't you move!-- and knew that Joshua was preparing to reach out and grab Riley the minute he turned his head. Okay, okay, I won't move! Yi!
The two stayed put, ignoring the horse and, presumably, rider as they approached. The horse stopped and then there was a gentle creak of leather as the rider dismounted. There was not another sound, until they heard, "Hello, Joshua."
Then Josh turned to study the Ranger who stood hand outstretched in greeting. The white-haired man gave a small quirked smile as he returned the polite gesture. "How do to you too. How's it been?" he asked, referring to the trip. "Anything interesting? Or same old, same old."
Riley remained with his back to the man, now half-afraid to turn and see the man he had imagined for days now. What did he really look like? He had just decided to take a quick glance, when his uncle gave him a rough nudge in the ribs with his elbow. "Hoi, be polite, at any rate, Riley. This is your new mentor--in all probability." he added.
Riley turned reluctantly, to face the Ranger. Whatever he'd been expecting, he hadn't expected the beard--the braided beard. Looking past that, he noted that the man stood approximately seven inches taller that him, at the least, and definitely had about fifty pounds advantage as well, though probably more. Looking the man in the eye, Riley gave him a short, brusque nod.
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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 27, 2010 15:42:29 GMT -5
"Anything interesting? Or same old, same old."
Robin let a little smile escape his mouth as he replied, "Nothing ever changes. That is, until now." He looked at the boy who would be his apprentice. Or rather, he looked at his back. He was small, but he seemed to have potential. Or, his back did. He shot Joshua glance, who nudged the boy.
"Hoi, be polite, at any rate, Riley. This is your new mentor--in all probability."
Robin saw the boy noticing his extravagant facial hair and laughed. Well, not really a laugh. More of a single puff of air shooting out of his nose that would resemble a laugh in a silent world. "Admiring the braid?" he asked. "Took years to grow it out like it is... Anyways, nice to meet you, Riley. Let's take a walk and you can talk to me about your life. I'd like to get to know you a little.
Robin surprised himself with these words. He wasn't sure how to start off this relationship and didn't really have anything to model it after, seeing as he had several mentors before Wintergreen and none of them stayed with him for long enough to know him at all. It was out now though, so he decided to just go with it.
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Sept 28, 2010 12:17:36 GMT -5
The Ranger seemed to find something amusing, but Riley didn't know what, until the man spoke. "Admiring the braid?" he asked. "Took years to grow it out like it is... Anyways, nice to meet you, Riley. Let's take a walk and you can talk to me about your life. I'd like to get to know you a little.
The man was observant, Riley had to admit. No one else would have noticed, except maybe his uncle. Riley realized that his uncle was watching him with an odd sort of intentness, and wondered what it was for. He managed a small smile, really nothing more than a twitch of the corners of his mouth, at the man, but it felt more like a grimace...fake. "Great." he managed through his teeth. he had no idea what constituted as his life, let alone what the man would find interesting about it.
Realizing that his uncle was still watching him closely, and that time was ticking by and he still hadn't moved from his seat on the log, he stood abruptly, dusting off the seat of his britches. "Right. Fine. Whatever. Let's get going."
As he started past his uncle, Josh reached out with one hand and snagged Riley by the shirt and pulled him close until he could mumble into Riley's ear. "Be nice. He's a Ranger. I am not...anymore." he amended, releasing his grip on Riley's collar.
"Alright, fine." Riley muttered back, scowling at the dirt at his feet.
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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 28, 2010 15:26:26 GMT -5
"Alright, fine."
Robin started off down the path, checking only once to make sure that Riley was beside him. He kept silent for a long time, examining the boys habits out of the corner of his eye. He had no discipline, but Robin knew that from the moment he first saw him--slumped over on the log with his head resting on his fists. Robin would take care of that.
"Think you've got what it takes to be a Ranger, kid?"
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Sept 29, 2010 13:21:07 GMT -5
(OOC: Riley's head wasn't in his hands.....That was Josh.)
Riley trailed along silently beside the Ranger for awhile, wondering when the man would speak, or if he were like Josh and would go for miles without talking, which would be just fine with Riley. You didn't learn much about someone if you were too busy gabbing yourself.
"Think you've got what it takes to be a Ranger, kid?"
Riley stopped studying the forest around them, to look at the man. "I reckon so, since otherwise Uncle Josh wouldn't have said or done anything about it. And if not, why are you here, talking to me?"
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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 29, 2010 14:26:47 GMT -5
"I reckon so, since otherwise Uncle Josh wouldn't have said or done anything about it. And if not, why are you here, talking to me?"
Robin smirked and scratched his chin beneath his braid. "Bit of a smart mouth, aren't you? We all got jobs, kid. This is mine. Someday it'll be yours too. Might have to get rid of that lip of yours, though," he said. It was true, too. Robin wouldn't take back-talk for very long before the boy spent the night sleeping with the horses. "In any case, it would be prudent of you to tell me about yourself. This isn't easy work we do as rangers. The fate of Araluen is often placed in our hands because no one else is equipped to do what we do. We're a different breed. Understand?"
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Sept 29, 2010 15:46:16 GMT -5
"Bit of a smart mouth, aren't you?"
Riley's gaze turned stony. "you asked." he said bluntly.
" We all got jobs, kid. This is mine. Someday it'll be yours too. Might have to get rid of that lip of yours, though,"
"If that's what you think it is." Riley muttered under his breath, glaring at the ground. He was beginning to wonder just what he'd let his uncle talk him into.
"In any case, it would be prudent of you to tell me about yourself. This isn't easy work we do as rangers. The fate of Araluen is often placed in our hands because no one else is equipped to do what we do. We're a different breed. Understand?"
"Yes to the later part." he grumbled. Then, looking up to meet the Ranger's gaze again, square on he demanded, "What has all that got to do with me telling you about myself?" As an afterthought, he added, "And are you going to reciprocate?"
Granted, he respected the man a little, but that respect was beginning to appear unfounded, even if the man was a Ranger.
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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 29, 2010 21:35:18 GMT -5
"And are you going to reciprocate?"
Robin picked up the pace a little, half because their slow trot was putting him to sleep and the other half to start testing Riley. "First things first, Riley. I'm your mentor. You do what I say when I tell you to do it, Or I can make the next couple of years very uncomfortable for you," he said. Robin sighed, the words bringing back his earliest memory of Gabriel. They'd been his first words to Robin as an apprentice and the start of a wonderful relationship. He hoped they would start this apprenticeship off in a similar direction.
"Tell me about your parents."
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Sept 30, 2010 9:46:15 GMT -5
"First things first, Riley. I'm your mentor. You do what I say when I tell you to do it, Or I can make the next couple of years very uncomfortable for you,"
Apparently he's not. Riley's respect for the man was fast beginning to slip away. Riley personally believed that respect was a two-way street, and that you earned it....apparently, this Ranger didn't believe that. Riley again wondered just what he'd gotten himself into when he'd agreed with his uncle to the apprenticeship.
This one's just like the rest of the majority. At any rate, he's no Uncle Josh, that's for sure. At least, the man didn't have the kind of insight that Joshua had.....The kind that had become the base reason for the close relationship that the two of them had had.
"Tell me about your parents."
"My mother is my mother, and she's fair most of the time, but she's busy a lot of the time too; my real father's been dead since before I was born; and my father is my stepfather, and he's stern and fair, and he's also busy a lot of the time. And yes," he said, turning to glance at the Ranger, "I know why their busy, and I respect them greatly for it."
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Post by JezusBagels on Sept 30, 2010 12:47:32 GMT -5
"I know why their busy, and I respect them greatly for it."
Robin smiled. "I'm glad. Every child should respect their parents. When I was your age, I had no greater desire than to be just like my father. We often find that fate has plans for us other than our own, however. I wanted to be a soldier, and look at me now," he said. He eyed the boy surreptitiously, noticing what began as lack-of-interest dwindling even more. He started walking even faster.
"Ever wield a weapon, boy?" he asked, one hand gripping his saxe knife.
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Solo
Apprentice Cook
No! Seriously?
Posts: 82
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Post by Solo on Oct 4, 2010 9:47:57 GMT -5
"I'm glad. Every child should respect their parents. When I was your age, I had no greater desire than to be just like my father. We often find that fate has plans for us other than our own, however. I wanted to be a soldier, and look at me now."
Riley switched his gaze back to the Ranger, and eyed him up and down. This time, he tried, half-heartedly, to look past skin-deep. It was still hard to see past the beard, however. The beard was, to Riley, the man's most defining characteristic....At the moment. Riley's interest was beginning to dwindle, even though he tried to remain optimistic....For why, he wasn't entirely sure.
"Ever wield a weapon, boy?" The man asked, picking up his pace even more.
Riley barely contained an eye-roll. Here we go.he thought to himself, with an inward sigh. I do have a name, you know. Pretty certain that the man would not take it well if Riley reminded him of that, Riley kept the thought to himself. "Ye-es." He even managed to keep the sound non-committal. He debated momentarily whether or not to say more, but decided that if it weren't enough, the man could always ask.
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