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 Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:00 pm
After some searching, he found her a short distance from the den mound. He stopped to watch her silently for a time, noting her movements and tactics. She was shadow-fighting, using her mind to invent and animate an opponent to fight. He nodded approvingly as she dodged and wove, but shook his head at her strikes. She needed work still, no question, but she had promise. Would she be interested in taking up that path? Time to find out. "Asmar," he called, moving towards her again with a measured pace, to give her time to react and slow down before he invaded her practice space.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:12 pm
 Practice. There was a point where it simply came down to repeating the movements over and over until they became instinctive. But the lioness knew she'd improved greatly ever since she'd joined this band, and that put pride in her step and allowed her to hold her head high. She might not be the best, but no one would be able to keep her against her will ever again. And nobody would be able to capture her the way they had her mother. Pink eyes flashed with anger as Asmar executed a particularly savage swipe against her unseen enemy. Then she started at the unexpected voice, falling out of her stance and almost falling entirely. Fur darkening slightly in a flush, the brown female gathered herself together to turn and face Hroarr. He hadn't had an excessive amount to do with her over the past moons, leaving her training in the paws of others. Still, his presence was felt throughout the band of exiles who lived here. "Captain," she responded, watching the older lion warily. She didn't know enough about Hroarr to be able to predict why he was here or what he might do. And while her combat skills had improved, she knew better than to try and test herself against him.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:56 pm
Ah, and there was that wariness she wore like a pall. He inwardly shook his head at her constant distrust, but he accepted it. Others had come to him for their own reasons, and he rarely intruded. Their reasons were their own, and she was no exception. He did, however, feel for her. She was young still and seemed very alone in the world, for all that she was part of his band. He felt an odd sort of fatherly interest in her. Perhaps it was time to put that interest into action, in fact.
"Your training is coming along well, it seems," he stated, seating himself before her calmly. He curled his tail about his paws, a mute message of relaxation and mild intent, a minor measure to try and reassure her. "I think it is time for you to choose how you want to...," he paused, about to use the word serve, but catching it at the last moment before it left his lips, "... help the band thrive." There, that was definitely a better choice in words. Wary as she was, clearly servitude was not something she'd appreciate or take kindly to.
"You have two options before you, now that you are an adult." He stressed the last word slightly, leaning forward and tipping his head to the side just a bit. He'd allowed her to stay and train without any real responsibilities due to her age and inexperience. She was of age now, and he wanted to make sure she understood this. Time to ante up. "The first option is to become freeborn. Normally this would mean you would be free to do what you pleased when you pleased, without any real responsibilities. However, I have no use for any freeborn in my band. This means you would likely join in hunting and patrolling only, helping the thralls with their work, telling them what to do."
He paused to let that sink in, not allowing his tone to do much more than disaprove of idleness in the warband. They were not, after all, out here to live as the rest of the pride did. Certain allowances were made, but this was not supposed to be just an outcropping of the main pride. It truly was a warband, and he meant it to remain that way. "Your other option is to become a reaver. We can always use more lions to go on raids, bring back loot and thralls, and defend the outpost." There, now it was in her paws as to what choice to make.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:08 pm
Asmar's eyes widened slightly in surprise. True, she remembered the bargain they had made so long ago - nearly a year ago now, the lioness realized in shock. She had simply forgotten that there was the second part to deal with. Well, perhaps "forgotten" was a poor choice of words. The brown lioness had been rather overwhelmed by the tough and competent lions of the Stormborn, but still insistent on learning the skills to protect herself.
While she wasn't ready to take on any of her fellows in earnest, Asmar felt her lips curling into a cold smile as Hroarr outlined her options. Regardless of his preferences, she knew full well that if she chose to return to an indolent life, the skills she'd worked so hard to attain would fade with disuse. Which really made this no choice at all.
"Haven't I said already that I won't be someone's possession?" she answered indirectly. "Freeborn may seem to have freedom, but they will always be dependent on others," the lioness went on, "and I refuse to return to that life." Pink eyes made contact with gold. "I would be a Reaver."
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:22 pm
Hroarr nodded in satisfaction. Good. He'd suspected she'd make such a choice, but he could never rely on supposition. Now it was time to move forward with her education and assumption of her new rank and role. "So be it then. I will arrange for you to start going on vikings with the others, then. You will be entitled to a share of the bounty that is taken on raids you participate in. What you claim as yours will remain yours, as I am the only one who could take it from you." He gave her a firm, fatherly look. "I would do no such thing. However, get too greedy, and you may end up in fights over who owns what before you can claim rights to it." She hadn't gone on any of the vikings, so this wasn't something she'd been exposed to. Better she know the stakes now.
"Also, if you would like, I can help you with your offensive capabilities." He did not allow disapproval or condescension to enter his tone whatsoever. "Your defensive ability is admirable, but you need more work on strikes and taking advantage of openings as they appear." It was stated as simple fact, no recrimination or shame involved. "As your Captain, you needn't worry that I will take your strikes amiss. I will be your live training sham." He gave a smirk at this. "Though if you open yourself too much, you can count on me taking advantage of it." Again the stern but attentive expression. Clearly he expected her to give her best, and would call her on it if she didn't. "Would you be interested in this?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:28 pm
In all of Asmar's life, she'd never had very many possessions, and frankly didn't see the purpose at this point, but she had to concede that such opinions might change once she had the opportunity. For now, she'd simply listen to Hroarr and worry about actual meanings later.
It was what he said next that kindled a new light in her eyes. The lioness had always been a bit intimidated by Hroarr, but the Captain was widely acknowledged to be the best warrior in the entire band. To be taught by him personally was no small thing and if she was nervous, she would still be able to learn far more from him than from any other individual.
"I...yes, Captain! I would be honored," the striped female added in a more subdued tone. Asmar had no doubts whatsoever that he'd be every bit as harsh as any other instructor she'd already had - or harsher! - but she also knew she'd learn a great deal in the process.
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:41 pm
He attempted to cover his amusement at her response. Despite her distantness and wariness, she was still just a young thing looking to improve, get ahead, and please those in charge. He'd never let her know that he saw her in this light, as it likely would incense her to no end. The young ever wanted to be seen as powerful, strong, independent, and above all, grown up! So he merely twitched his ears and swept his whisker s back in a pleased expression. "Good, we can find a time that's best for us both to do this in." He mentally began scrolling through his many responsibilities, ticking off times when he simply was unavailable. He supposed not having a mate anymore could be an advantage in this sort of situation. "You can have your pick between either just before daybreak every other day, or halfway into the first nightwatch every third evening." Complicated, but such was life for a Captain of a rather large exiled warband!
"In the meantime, here is something you can practice on your own," he continued, rising from his seated position. "When you are reaching to strike, don't over-extend. Keep your elbow in, your shoulders low, and reach out only so far," he demonstrated in slow motion, slashing the air with his side towards her, so she could fully see what he meant. "It keeps your paw close to you for defense, but also lends the full power of your entire body into the strike." He showed her again at full speed, this time against a sturdy tree-bush. He entirely ripped a small branch from it, and left deep claw marks behind. "Now you try." He stepped back, keeping his mind firmly on his pupil and not on what pressing task needed his attention next. Time enough for that. Right now, as would be the case every time they worked together, she was his whole world.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:59 am
Something flickered in Horarr's expression too quickly for Asmar to identify, but the lioness ignored in favor of his words. She'd known the Captain was a busy lion, but she hadn't realized quite how full his days were if those were the only two options for her training! Then again, it wasn't really a choice. Not the way the lioness lived her life.
"Just before dawn suits me better," she told him after thinking it over. Not only would there be more lessons, but it was a time of day that she was already accustomed to being awake. Daytime was for waking, and nighttime was for sleeping, at least as far as Asmar was concerned.
But then wonder of wonders, the Captain took this conversation of theirs to the next level and actually came over and began demonstrating an attack for her to learn! The striped female watched intently, listening closely to Hroarr's instructions. Once slowly and again at speed, he showed her what he meant about not over-extending and Asmar nodded to herself as she studied the movements.
Clearing her mind of everything but what she had seen and what she intended to mimic, the lioness took a slow breath and tried it for herself. Her movements were not nearly as refined as Hroarr's, but she didn't think she'd done a bad job overall. She hoped.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 8:28 am
He watched her critically and nodded slowly. "Yes, like that, only...," and here he corrected her stance just slightly and her foreleg positioning, all with swift, minimal contact. There was efficiency and specific intent in the touches, keeping them from being either too intimate or too scornful. "This will help you channel your momentum into the strike better," he explained after stepping back. "Try it once more." Yes, that was better. She was smaller, of course, being female and not of large stock, but with some help, she'd be just as difficult to take down as he was. This was not a boasting thought, but more one of satisfied confirmation. He wanted his reavers capable, powerful, and strong. She would definitely fit in well.
After she had followed through with the altered strike, he felt a sudden need to... well, check up on her well-being. It was odd, feeling parental towards a grown lioness, but he couldn't deny it was there. She needed looking after, and who better to do that than her Captain? He cleared his throat in mild discomfort before speaking again. "Asmar, is there anything you... need? Are the others treating you fairly?" He didn't ask whether they were nice to her or not. Nice was not on a reaver's to-be list. They could be, of course, but one did not benefit as a fighter by being 'nice'. No, he was asking if they treated her as one of them, or if she'd had trouble with anyone in particular. But he also wanted her to be... well, happy. At the very least contented in her chosen place in his band.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:17 pm
The lioness concentrated closely as the Captain corrected her before trying the movement again. She wanted to do well, to make him proud to have her as one of his band. Hell, she wanted to make herself proud! That was, after all, the point of doing this.
Pink eyes blinked in surprise at the sudden change in subject and show of concern. Oh sure, she knew it was Hroarr's responsibility to look out for the well-being of everyone in the group, but she was honestly surprised that he would ask. She knew who to turn to if she had problems, and obviously the brown lioness had yet to avail herself of those options. So why was he even asking?
"No..." Asmar answered. "There's nothing I need, no one's been an a** or anything..." she told the older lion, puzzlement for why he'd ask such a stupid question warring with annoyance that he didn't think she could handle idiots on her own. It wasn't as if some of the others had tried to treat her as a thrall or somesuch nonsense. And really, as long as no one ganged up on her physically, she should be able to defend herself and make them regret trying anything.
That knowledge, more than anything else, was what she had come here for.
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Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:14 am
Hroarr shook out his mane with a relieved look. There, duty done. He'd have provided, had she needed anything, but it had just felt right to ask. Not asking might have been... well, cold. Unfeeling. Neither of which was Hroarr. "Good," he said shortly, somewhat in a rush to pass the awkward moment by. "Keep working at that, and I will see you tomorrow morning." He cast her an amused look, though most of the amusement was at himself. Was he getting old, so that he was fussing over the younger members of his band? Perhaps so.
That turned his mind to uncomfortable topics, though. Lions his age should be fathering cubs, begetting and training the next generation. Here he was, stuck out in the middle of nowhere, his mate gone, his situation not conducive to raising cubs. When would it end? A wash of bleakness rolled over him, and he turned away from the bright future of his warband. However long it was going to be, it was already far too long. He dearly hoped an end would come into sight, soon. Heart weighed down once more with responsibility and regrets, he made his way back to the den mound.
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