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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 16:51:25 GMT -5
Badger had been in service for a number of years and had eluded gaining an apprentice for over five of those. It wasn't that he didn't like kids, he was after all, about ready to be a father. It was more of the fact that he'd have to actually train him/her and he very much preferred his privacy, especially on the job. He wasn't used to sharing his thoughts; he didn't even share all of them with his lovely wife Stella. And he hated being questioned not because he hated being put in doubt, but because you had to speak to ask them and thus the silence was broken. He liked the silence almost as much as he loved the woods.
But his dear Stella was quite for it and he of course, had agreed. The saying of keep the mother happy and have a happy home was well said indeed. Though the child was not yet born, he didn't doubt that she was indeed a mother, just as he knew he was already a father.
He frowned as he looked toward the manor from which his apprentice currently lived. He'd asked about the boy of course and liked little of what he'd been told. A fighter, rebel, a runaway forced back home by another ranger, and no doubt, he thought sourly, a talker. With a sigh, he nudged his pony down the hill. Silence, it seemed, was soon to be lost to him.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 16:59:18 GMT -5
Monkuta, a little stump of a boy but with the same dirty, messy, rat's nest of hair that would one day be his most notable feature, opened the door and peeked outside. There he was. His savior. His ranger mentor that would rescue him from this hellish place that he called home. He could barely contain his excitement. He flung the door wide open--something his parents had explicitly told him not to do many times--and ran outside waving to the man coming towards him on the pony.
"Hey!!!" he shouted enthusiastically.
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 17:16:37 GMT -5
Badger fought back a groan. He wasn't even at the bottom of the hill and already Silence was heading off on a very, very long vacation.
He gave a curt nod to the boy before pulling ever so slightly on the reins. Mikilana stopped immediately.
"Monkuta?"
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 17:26:26 GMT -5
Monkuta grinned.
"Yessir," he said, bowing his head. the action came to him before he thought about it. He never bowed to people. Something about this man commanded respect, though he was much too young to know that that was what he was feeling.
He looked up again, admiring the cloak and the pony and everything else about the man.
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 17:38:12 GMT -5
Badger nodded again before swinging himself off the pony's back. He gave her a pat on the neck before walking the rest of the way toward the manor between boy and pony.
He wondered briefly that if he kept quiet the boy would follow suit, but quickly dismissed it as false hope. Regardless, he kept quiet. He didn't think he was doing anything to bring on questions, but a quick look at the lad and he easily noticed the excitement upon his face. Silence was going to be gone quite a few years.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 17:41:46 GMT -5
Monkuta followed behind Badger, trying to get a good look at his face. He furrowed his brow in frustration.
"Do you kill people? I heard rangers kill people. Do you like to kill people? Doesn't that make you evil? I don't really want to kill people," he said, though when it came out of his mouth it might as well have all been one sentence.
He sprinted ahead of Badger, taking the steps two at a time and stopping at the top, waiting for him.
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 17:53:23 GMT -5
Badger inhaled slowly and exhaled the same way. He hadn't even begun to part his lips when the lad took off, racing toward the house. He only felt slightly irritated at the boy's nerve to break the silence and take off before he even got an answer. The rest was calculations as he watched Monkuta's form.
He was an okay runner as most boys his age were, but a little practice wouldn't hurt...much. His practices always hurt for what was the point of doing them if you made them easy?
He took his time walking, testing the boys patience though even at his slow pace, it wouldn't be long before he reached the door. He'd test it later for a better confirmation before beginning the teaching of the basics, regardless if Monkuta knew them or not. Discipline was a sure trait needed for their line of work, along with patience, and he thought with an inward grin, silence. Blessed be the heavens for that.
He reached the door a few minutes later and waited for Monkuta to head in first. This way he wouldn't have to knock. He wasn't against knocking, he just liked to keep his prescence hidden for the most part and knocking, or any type of noise, would give him away. And to point out, it'd break the silence.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 17:59:28 GMT -5
Monkuta opened the door and ran inside, waiting for the ranger to follow. He was really quiet. He would have to teach Monkuta how to do that. It's what always gave him away when he was hiding. He closed the door behind the ranger, slamming it loudly. He turned around and leaned into the back of his cloak. He scrutinized it carefully.
"Cool."
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 18:19:03 GMT -5
[you so slammed that door on purpose. lol. :-)]
Badger unknowingly had the same thoughts Monkuta did as the door slammed shut behind him. He'd have to teach the boy how to be quiet as soon as he could, for not only both of their sakes, but whoever their missions would involve - ie: all of Araluen. So if he gagged the boy for a week or two, he was actually paying a major tribute to the country. The thought made the corner of his lips turn upward, though not much. He'd have to give it some thought.
He stepped from out of the doorway and placed his back against the wall in habit. He doubted that he'd be attacked here, but his training demanded it. He gave the same curt nod to the boy's parents before introducing himself and making it clear that they'd be leaving before noon - a mere two hours away.
Once his 'mission' was accomplished, he went back outside, not liking the idea of a roof over his head. He'd always loved the sky, especially come nightfall when the top of the trees made pictures amongst the stars. There was a spot at his cottage that if you stood at a certain part and looked skyward, the trees made out the shape of a heart - the perfect place for Stella and he to call home.
He ran a hand down Mikilana's neck as he scanned the terrain once again. Where he normally wouldn't murmered a few words in her ears, he wanted another shot at silence before the boy once again broke it.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 18:26:40 GMT -5
Monkuta, after a long speech from his parents about being respectful and courteous to the ranger, ran outside, glad to be away from them and out in the sun. He looked up at Badger, squinting in the daylight.
"So, where are we going?" he asked innocently. However, thoughts of trees and mud and grass were racing through his head in thousands of different scenarios of what his life would be like now.
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 18:36:13 GMT -5
"Away." He wasn't one to let go very easily and he was using tooth and nail to keep silence beside him. Besides, the boy would see for himself soon enough when they entered the woods and made their way up to his cottage. Stella would no doubt have a dinner cooking and she'd take over the answering of questions unless she didn't know the answer, then which he'd be answering in long lengthy sentences. No use going through that kind of torture now when he'd have to go through it later. There wasn't much he would deny her, only the deeper information of his career.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 18:39:30 GMT -5
Monkuta furrowed his brow in frustration. He followed behind Badger silently for a couple minutes, much to his discomfort. When he could hold back no longer, he chose his words and asked, "Do you ever start answering my questions? How am I supposed to learn stuff if you won't tell me anything?"
He looked up at badger hopefully, waiting for an answer.
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 18:45:50 GMT -5
"Patience." He was quite pleased with himself, answering both questions with one word. They'd been riding for only a few minutes and already he was ready to be home. He could always ride ahead and see if the boy was any skilled in tracking and would have too if he didn't think Stella would get upset over it. He'd heard the tales of a woman loosing her child because of a particular set of feelings and didn't want to chance it.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 19, 2009 19:05:05 GMT -5
Monkuta crossed his arms and growled quietly. He'd heard animals do it when they were frightened or angry. He liked to imitate animals. It made him feel... well he wasn't sure what word to describe it with, though one with a more advanced vocabulary would describe as 'savage.'
Monkuta remained silent for the rest of the trip.
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Post by ivory on Jun 19, 2009 19:11:42 GMT -5
[thank the heavesn. lol. :-)]
Badger smiled when his eyes laid upon the cottage and he picked up tha pace. Stella was standing in the doorway and he kissed her on the lips before making the introductions with one hand twined in hers.
"Monkuta." He nodded toward the boy. "Stella." He raised her hand to his lips before pulling her inside. She threw a warm smile over her shoulder for the lad, telling him to follow on after.
The smell of roast duck, corn, rice, and potatoes was heavily in the air.
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