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Post by Firehead on Feb 8, 2011 9:59:54 GMT -5
Adriane smiled sadly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Rab, but...no I don't know how to cook. I'm kinda the one who caught the game or brought the ingredients, Father cooked it. Though I'll do my best if you teach me."
Rab sighed regretfully, and led the way into the cabin. "Alright, we'll start out simple 'til you get the hang of it. First off, we'll need......" -------------------
Dinner wasn't bad. They had simply fried the venison with some onions to give it flavor, and ate it that way, along with a side dish of fresh greens. Now, as they pushed back from the table, Rab took a slate from atop the mantle over the fireplace and laid it on the table in front of Adriane, along with a piece of chaulk, saying, "I'll wash the dishes tonight. I want you to map out the route you took here. It'll tell me how well you know your geography."
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 8, 2011 18:26:26 GMT -5
Rab sighed regretfully, and led the way into the cabin. "Alright, we'll start out simple 'til you get the hang of it. First off, we'll need......"Adriane felt a little sorry for Rab but soon she would cook too. Humph. Most girls know how to cook... Adriane thought. Well, then I'm not 'most girls'. I'm a Ranger girl.** [/li][li]**[/center] Adriane ate hungrily. It was a good dinner, better than dried fruit and meat that Ranger's ate on the road. Rab took a slate from atop the mantle over the fireplace and laid it on the table in front of Adriane, along with a piece of chalk, saying, "I'll wash the dishes tonight. I want you to map out the route you took here. It'll tell me how well you know your geography.""Yes sir." Adriane set to work without another word. She gritted her teeth as she drew. Adriane knew that mapping out an area was important in a Ranger's line of work but that didn't mean she had to like it. Every now and then she would flick her eyes to the door or to Rab. Adriane wanted to be outside and check on Bolder and Lightning one more time before they settled down for the night. There. Adriane thought satisfied. The drawing was a really crude one, the Mountains of Rain and Night to one side of the slat and her trail to the other. Rab's cabin was shone at the end, along with what was there like the clearing and practice area. Adriane frowned at it but didn't think she could do much better. Adriane sat up and looked at Rab expectantly. "I think my geography is as bad as my knife throwing skills."Adriane said, thoughtfully. She let her senses wander, listening for the horses and Bolder or anything else that might be lurking around. All the while Adriane was still ready to snap to attention when Rab spoke. If he said anything at all.
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Post by Firehead on Feb 9, 2011 9:31:34 GMT -5
Rab finished the dishes about the same time as Adriane finished drawing her map. He came over the the table, wiping the last plate dry, to have a look. His mouth querked up at the corners and a twinkle appeared in his eyes. "Very nice. If ever I wanted a map of my clearing...." He looked up from the map and studied her face a moment before giving a soft chuckle and turned away to hide his grin.
"I think my geography is as bad as my knife throwing skills."Adriane said, thoughtfully.
Rab put the plate away, and turned back to her, a serious expression on his face once more. "Let's put it this way: you're showing a group of knights the way to a wargal camp. You've been there once, you know the area--they haven't. So you're drawing a map to show them. What you put on your map is fifty-five percent of the importance. Your verbal report is the other forty-five. So tell me, what didn't you put on your map?"
He walked over to the table again and sat facing her. "Did you ride through a forest? If so, how big was it? Were there any downed trees or other obstacles blocking the path? Did you even take a trail? If so, what sort--were they roads or were they simply game trails? Or did you travel cross-country? Did you cross a stream or ford a river? When you camped, where did you camp? Was there water nearby? What sort of water source was it?" He paused, and looked her in the eye. "Enough ideas to get you started?" he asked quietly. He hadn't meant to give her a lecture like that, but now it was out and they both might as well deal with it. He gestured to her map and said, "Wipe it off and try again. Tell me about it, as you work if it helps you."
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 9, 2011 21:26:39 GMT -5
"Very nice. If ever I wanted a map of my clearing...." He looked up from the map and studied her face a moment before giving a soft chuckle and turned away to hide his grin.
Adriane's eyebrows scrunched together and then she couldn't help but give a soft giggle. It didn't matter to her if her mentor's praise was a little gruff, as long as he was pleased in some way, even though his comment didn't seem to be intended as a praise. He turned away to put up a dish and then spoke again as Adriane snapped back to attention.
"Let's put it this way: you're showing a group of knights the way to a wargal camp. You've been there once, you know the area--they haven't. So you're drawing a map to show them. What you put on your map is fifty-five percent of the importance. Your verbal report is the other forty-five. So tell me, what didn't you put on your map?"
"Well, I didn't think to include any significant land marks that might verify the trail from other trails. So...more detail right?" Adriane responded. She then started to think more and more about what she had seen during the trip to Rab's cabin. Adriane didn't notice that he had walked over to the table and sat down directly in front of her.
"Did you ride through a forest? If so, how big was it? Were there any downed trees or other obstacles blocking the path? Did you even take a trail? If so, what sort--were they roads or were they simply game trails? Or did you travel cross-country? Did you cross a stream or ford a river? When you camped, where did you camp? Was there water nearby? What sort of water source was it?" He paused, and looked her in the eye. "Enough ideas to get you started?" he asked quietly. He hadn't meant to give her a lecture like that, but now it was out and they both might as well deal with it. He gestured to her map and said, "Wipe it off and try again. Tell me about it, as you work if it helps you."
Adriane meet his eyes boldly not looking away. Rab was giving her a lecture but Adriane didn't mind. She was eager to learn all she could, whenever she could. Adriane wiped her previous map off the slate and thought for a moment. "Yes sir. Let's see... When I started off this morning I took a game trail that went toward the mountains. I remember because Bolder tried to catch a deer. Then we crossed a small stream...barely four yards across. Um.." Adriane went on to explain, reluctant at first and then more enthusiastic as she went along, the whole trail and all the while the piece of chalk drew her thoughts with a precise hand. When Adriane finally came to a conclusion she could almost picture the knights and soldiers marching to Rab's house, ready to defeat a camp of Wargals. Adriane smiled triumphantly. This map looked a lot better than her last one, it was more detailed. All the things Adriane could think to put on there, she had. Adriane slide the slat across the table for Rab's inspection.
"I like this one better. I suppose the map just needed some details." Adriane said softly but still clearly. She was reluctant to talk too much more, it seemed that she had talked a lot more to Rab in just the time it took to explain her course than she had since she had gotten here. Adriane started to think about what Rab would let her do tomorrow. Tomorrow wasn't that far away after all. Maybe he'll let me go out and explore with him. Though it wouldn't hurt to practice. Adriane let her mind wander freely, keeping half of it in the present enough to catch anything Rab would say or do.
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Post by Firehead on Feb 10, 2011 12:13:43 GMT -5
Adriane wiped her previous map off the slate and thought for a moment. "Yes sir. Let's see... When I started off this morning I took a game trail that went toward the mountains. I remember because Bolder tried to catch a deer. Then we crossed a small stream...barely four yards across. Um.." Adriane went on to explain, reluctant at first and then more enthusiastic as she went along, the whole trail and all the while the piece of chalk drew her thoughts with a precise hand.
Rab smiled as he turned it around to study it better. "Much better."
"I like this one better. I suppose the map just needed some details." Adriane said softly but still clearly.
"Yes. Sometimes that's all that's needed....That and a little direction." With the piece of chaulk, he drew a plus symbol in the lower right-hand corner, adding an N to the top point. "And from there, you're set for life." he finished, handing the slate back to her.
"This is for you to write and draw your lessons on--the ones that aren't in the great outdoors." He leaned back and streatched, then rose to his feet. "We'll stop here for tonight and pick up tomorrow with your field skills. Let's go put the horses in for the night and get some rest."
(OOC: Skip ahead to morning if you want.)
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 10, 2011 20:31:12 GMT -5
Rab smiled as he turned it around to study it better. "Much better."Adriane's eyes brightened with the smile that Rab gave. A smile was one of the best praises you could get out of a Ranger. "Yes. Sometimes that's all that's needed....That and a little direction." With the piece of chalk, he drew a plus symbol in the lower right-hand corner, adding an N to the top point. "And from there, you're set for life." he finished, handing the slate back to her. Adriane looked at the compass rose that Rab had drawn on the slate. She smiled sheepishly. "I had a feeling I was forgetting something.""This is for you to write and draw your lessons on--the ones that aren't in the great outdoors." He leaned back and streatched, then rose to his feet. "We'll stop here for tonight and pick up tomorrow with your field skills. Let's go put the horses in for the night and get some rest." "Alright. I can't wait for tomorrow then!"Adriane said eagerly. She stood up, pushed her chair in and then made her way to the door quickly. Adriane wanted to see what her other two companions were doing, hopefully they hadn't got themselves in some kind of trouble. "Lightning, Bolder come here, boys..."**{*}** Adriane's eyes blinked open slowly. Then they opened fully and Adriane thumped onto the floor as she got tangled in the sheets as she tried to sit up too quickly startled like a deer by a hunter. "Umph." Adriane mumbled, her voice thick with sleep. Where am I? How'd I get here? Oh wait... Adriane glanced out the window. It was just starting to get light outside so the world looked a light blue gray. That internal alarm clock must have woken her up as it did most mornings. Adriane remembered yesterday's events. Kicking herself free of the tangled sheets, Adriane made the bed then went to get dressed. Once that was done she slipped out the cabin door with her knives strapped in their accustomed place at her waist, Ranger cloak pulled firmly around her, quiver on her back and bow in hand. Adriane gave a low whistle once she thought she was far enough from the cabin to call Bolder from where ever he had chosen to spend the night. She saw Bolder come loping in from the clearing and the dog bounded joyfully around her. Adriane played with him for a moment, leaping at him playfully and then back quickly as Bolder play bowed and did the same thing to her as she did to him. Both girl and dog jogged over to where Rab and Adriane had put the horses last night. Lightning whinnied a greeting and Adriane let him loose and he trotted to the clearing with Adriane and Bolder on his heels. "Hold still there Lightning. I'm just going to do what we usually do when we have the chance." Adriane tensed her muscles slightly then sprang lightly onto Lightning's back. Lightning turned his head to look at her. "Hey there to you too boy-o." Adriane started to chat to the two of them, not particularly about anything specific just what ever came to her mind at the time. Lightning walked slowly around the clearing when Adriane gave him a light touch with her heels. "I'll just stay here until Rab wants me. We'll probably feed you two and Windtreader before we eat. I don't know really. I don't even know what we'll be doing today except for field training. Well, I suppose I do know what that is. Isn't it tracking and blending into the forest? Or mountain side in this case I guess."Adriane was enjoying the feel of Lightning underneath her with out anything between them, like a saddle blanket and saddle. She moved to his slight movements and Bolder followed them calmly occasionally looking up with excited eyes. Lightning would flick his ears back and toss his head sometimes too as if in agreement or objection to whatever his rider said. The morning sun was starting to get higher in the sky, bringing with it the new day.
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Post by Firehead on Feb 11, 2011 11:24:52 GMT -5
Rab had awoken well before dawn and slipped out of the cabin to hunt for breakfast. He was now returning with his catch and spotted Adriane riding her horse around the clearing. He stopped and watched for a moment, before crossing to the barn where Windtreader still waited. He turned Windtreader loose in the clearing to graze and called to his apprentice, "Cooking lesson two, come on!"
After breakfast was over and the chores for the day were done, Rab packed the usual dried meat and fruits, ink, pen and journal into his "possibles" bag, and headed for the door, saying, "Grab your bow and quiver; time to get your feet wet."
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 11, 2011 19:25:24 GMT -5
Adriane looked at the sky. Rab wasn't in the cabin so where was he? Adriane didn't know but voiced that thought to Lightning and Bolder. Soon, after Adriane heard: "Cooking lesson two, come on!""Whoa Lightning. I'll see you two later, okay?" Adriane swung her leg over the horses withers and landed on the ground and dashed off after Rab to help with 'cooking lesson number two'. **{*}** "Grab your bow and quiver; time to get your feet wet." Adriane and Rab had just finished eating breakfast and doing the chores. "Um...sure! Why not?" Adriane wondered what he meant but did not bother to question him. She was sure she'd find out soon enough. Adriane grabbed her bow from where it was leaning in her room and adjusted the quiver to where it laid more comfortable on her shoulder. Then she too was out the door. "Where to?" Adriane braved to ask. The least she could know is where they were going right?
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Post by Firehead on Feb 14, 2011 14:32:04 GMT -5
"Where to?"
Rab glanced over his shoulder at her. "The woods. Obviously. I want to assess your skills in tracking, silent movement, and concealment. Among other things." he added as an afterthought.
He led the way into the forest. "We'll start now with your silent movement. Follow me, and try to be as quiet as possible." He faced front again and stopped short, looking down at the track that had captured his attention. "On second thought, We'll start with tracks."
He shifted to one side so that she could stand beside him and get a good view of the large imprint. " That's a Black Wolf. It's about a day old so I don't thing we'll need to worry about it." Turning to look at her, he gave a slight smile. "Some pointers for you, my dear apprentice: Never follow a Black Wolf. Always be on your gaurd when you see any sign of them no matter how old. And lastly, where there's one, there are always more--they always travel in packs."
Glancing around him, he checked the direction of the track, then angled away in the opposite direction. "Come on. We'll go bak to our first subject: silent movement. Unless you have questions?"
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 15, 2011 22:29:29 GMT -5
"The woods. Obviously. I want to assess your skills in tracking, silent movement, and concealment. Among other things." he added as an after thought.
Adriane cocked her head but followed along quietly. She had no questions yet everything was pretty straight forward. Or obvious as Rab had put it.
He led the way into the forest. "We'll start now with your silent movement. Follow me, and try to be as quiet as possible." He faced front again and stopped short, looking down at the track that had captured his attention. "On second thought, We'll start with tracks."
Adriane focused on being quiet as possible, wanting to please Rab, scanning the ground and the trees methodically. First close in then farther away and then close in again. Looking side to side without turning her head. It was all good practice. Never once did Adriane think this training session was just a training session. She pretended it was the real thing. The apprentice stopped by her master looking at the tracks too when he moved aside.
"That's a Black Wolf. It's about a day old so I don't thing we'll need to worry about it." Turning to look at her, he gave a slight smile. "Some pointers for you, my dear apprentice: Never follow a Black Wolf. Always be on your guard when you see any sign of them no matter how old. And lastly, where there's one, there are always more--they always travel in packs."
Adriane took a breath to ask a question but she was a little late in gathering her thoughts and actually putting them into words. Then she reviewed his statement mentally, realizing that her question had been answered if she really thought about it. "They don't look like something you want to be taken by surprise by." Adriane commented.
Glancing around him, he checked the direction of the track, then angled away in the opposite direction. "Come on. We'll go back to our first subject: silent movement. Unless you have questions?"
"No." Adriane said quickly. She looked at the track one more time, committing it to memory. Adriane noted the fact that Rab checked the direction of the track and then went in to opposite direction. Probably wouldn't want to see one...then again, I do wonder what a Black Wolf looks like. Adriane thought. Then she turned her full attention on Rab, looking at him expectantly.
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Post by Firehead on Feb 16, 2011 14:08:32 GMT -5
"No." Adriane said quickly.
Rab blinked in surprise and stood gazing at her as she studied the track. When she looked back at him, he realized that he was still staring at her and turned away rather abruptly. "Alright then, let's get moving." He led the way, taking them away from the area at a wide angle, until they had the home clearing between them and the place where Rab had spotted the track.
For the rest of the afternoon, he tested Adriane on her field skills--everything from silent movement to concieled movement to identifying plants and animals. At the same time, he kept a sharp lookout for any sign of Black Wolves or other not-so-friendly creatures.
Toward the evening, he led the way to the river and the nearest levy. There they ate a very late lunch, while Rab inspected the small dam. "Looks alright. It should hold for another couple of years. Especially if this drought continues." he muttered, mostly to himself. Turning to his apprentice he said, "Let's head home. Cooking lesson three awaits." he abruptly switched to another train of thought. "Tommorow we'll be going to see the Baron, and I have a report for Crowley that needs to be sent."
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 16, 2011 22:24:36 GMT -5
Adriane had concluded that she did want to see a Black Wolf, a dead one at that, but then never again.
Rab blinked in surprise and stood gazing at her as she studied the track. When she looked back at him, he realized that he was still staring at her and turned away rather abruptly. "Alright then, let's get moving." He led the way, taking them away from the area at a wide angle, until they had the home clearing between them and the place where Rab had spotted the track.
Adriane smiled. She may not know this area, yet, but practicing her Ranger skills were fun. At least most of the time. Rab had Adriane practice varying skills. Things like silent movement to concealed movement to identifying plants and animals. Adriane didn't do to well when she was identifying the plants, half the time she hadn't even heard of it. The rest though, Adriane thought was easy and did fairly well. All the while Adriane noticed Rab keeping a look out. Probably for that Black Wolf or any other beasties.. she thought. This put Adriane on her guard too, but most of the time she was a little preoccupied with the tasks given to her.Toward evening, the silverleaf Ranger started to led her somewhere. Turns out somewhere, was a small dam. "Do I get to get my feet wet now?" Adriane joked, a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes.
There they ate a very late lunch, while Rab inspected the small dam. "Looks alright. It should hold for another couple of years. Especially if this drought continues." he muttered, mostly to himself. Turning to his apprentice he said, "Let's head home. Cooking lesson three awaits." he abruptly switched to another train of thought. "Tomorrow we'll be going to see the Baron, and I have a report for Crowley that needs to be sent."
The apprentice tried to make out what Rab was muttering but failed to do so. She figured it wasn't important enough to be said clearly, and abandoned the subject. Adriane nodded, looking around with the slow sweeping motions she used in the forest. "Cooking lesson three it is. The Baron...what do you say he's like?" Adriane was curious of the Baron that she would met. She had heard about the one Baron that Halt had thrown out of a window and into the moat. Adriane bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing. The corners of her lips twitched with the makings of a smile. I wonder if he's that sort of Baron... No maybe not. Though I do wonder if Rab would throw him into the moat. If they have a moat. I suppose I won't find out.
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Post by Firehead on Feb 17, 2011 8:46:27 GMT -5
"Cooking lesson three it is. The Baron...what do you say he's like?"
"Good, because I'm getting tired of my cooking." Rab replied with a wry smile. Turning serious, he went on. "Now the Baron, Baron Finnbar, he's.....old. Very old. Still sharp as ever though, despite his not getting out much anymore. Has arthritis and his eye sight is going bad on him, but his hearing and wits are keen. Nowadays his Grandsons run the day-to-day operations, but on big decisions he still makes the final call. He's fair--maybe a bit tactless, but fair. Knows when, why, and how to keep his mouth shut. Oh yes, and he's an actor at heart. Don't let his pretending to be senile fool you." Rab's eyes twinkled, as he recalled his own episode with Baron Finnbar's practical joke.
"Now you heard me mention the grandsons. Finnbar's son died ten years ago, and left two sons-- Jessup and Roland. Jessup's the older of the two, and the dark-haired one, but he doesn't care much for running an entire fief. He takes care of anything military. Roland's the blond one and he takes care of the fief, leaves the military to his brother. Their both fair-minded, get along well with each other, and have considerably more tact than their grandfather. Of course, their not home right now--Roland's of at court giving the fief a voice, and Jessup's off running around with the army doing a stint overseas."
Rab ended the sub-lecture as they approached the cabin and were greeted by the animals they had left behind. After stabling the horses for the night, Rab gave Adriane her third lesson in cooking. After they had eaten, Rab made her draw a map of where they had gone that day before going to bed. "Practice makes perfect, and there's no time like the present to start." he told her.
(OOC: Skip ahead to morning again if you want.)
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Post by RacingBelle on Feb 17, 2011 20:51:57 GMT -5
"Good, because I'm getting tired of my cooking." Rab replied with a wry smile.
Adriane laughed. "Before long I think we'll both be sick of my cooking and have to switch back to yours." Adriane noticed how Rab turned serious and did the same.
"Now the Baron, Baron Finnbar, he's.....old. Very old. Still sharp as ever though, despite his not getting out much anymore. Has arthritis and his eye sight is going bad on him, but his hearing and wits are keen. Nowadays his Grandsons run the day-to-day operations, but on big decisions he still makes the final call. He's fair--maybe a bit tactless, but fair. Knows when, why, and how to keep his mouth shut. Oh yes, and he's an actor at heart. Don't let his pretending to be senile fool you."
Adriane made note of this. It could be very useful tomorrow.
"Now you heard me mention the grandsons. Finnbar's son died ten years ago, and left two sons-- Jessup and Roland. Jessup's the older of the two, and the dark-haired one, but he doesn't care much for running an entire fief. He takes care of anything military. Roland's the blond one and he takes care of the fief, leaves the military to his brother. Their both fair-minded, get along well with each other, and have considerably more tact than their grandfather. Of course, their not home right now--Roland's of at court giving the fief a voice, and Jessup's off running around with the army doing a stint overseas."
Adriane stored more information in the ever growing file of 'definably something to remember for later'. Rab ended the lesson there and Bolder choose that moment to come and greet her. She shook her head while thinking uncanny little dog. Lightning looked up and gave a short whinny before dropping his head back down to graze. Adriane tagged along with Rab, doing the evening chore of shutting the animals in.
After stabling the horses for the night, Rab gave Adriane her third lesson in cooking. After they had eaten, Rab made her draw a map of where they had gone that day before going to bed. "Practice makes perfect, and there's no time like the present to start." he told her.
"Always." Adriane got to work on the offending map. When she was done, she could tell it was much better than her previous attempt last night. That's because I know how to do it now. Adriane grinned at her satisfactory work, for herself that is. All too soon it seemed, it was time for bed. "Night Rab." Adriane called. Then she promptly fell asleep after her head hit the pillow.
**{*}**
Adriane was even more pleased in the morning when she didn't fall onto the floor when she woke up the next morning. She stretched lazily in bed, enjoying the morning sounds. I wonder if Rab is out hunting again.. better go and find out. Maybe I could go with him one day. I do know how to hunt after all. Adriane continued to think about and review her lessons from the previous day as she pulled on some clothes and got her Ranger cloak and weapons. "Morning!" Adriane called once she slipped out of the cabin.
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Post by Firehead on Feb 18, 2011 12:42:50 GMT -5
Rab had awakened early yet again, and had decided it was as perfect a time as any to put in some target practice. He had just finished up and was winding his sling up as he walked toward the stable, when Adriane came out of the house. "Morning!"
"Morning to you too. Let's get the horses fed and groomed." He led the way into the stable where Windtreader greeted him with the usual enthusiasm. Rab poured grain into the bucket and set about grooming the animal while the horse ate. Once finished, Rab left the horse to eat in peace and gave Adriane cooking lesson four.
After breakfast, Rab gathered his gear and went back out to the stable to saddle Windtreader in preparation for the eight hour trip to the castle. Finished he looked over to where Adriane was saddling her horse and asked, "Ready to go?"
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