Reunion [attn; Locke]

[Avyra]

He was actually looking up at her. She grinned, enjoying the little bit of height her rock gave her on him. She listened as he discussed being a bodyguard. It made sense, and he seemed to be very passionate about it. It was good to see him back to his old self after the worry he had caused her not moments ago. What had he been so concerned about? But she didn't dwell on it. If he didn't want to tell her, then he didn't have to. “I’ve been talking your ear off about bodyguarding, but I should have asked you something. What exactly is falconry? I’m pretty sure falcons are involved but how and why?” Avyra smiled. "Its a hunting sport. You use the bird to hunt." She paused. "Its not only falcons; you can use eagles and hawks too. I quite want a golden eagle. Beautiful birds." She shrugged. "They'll probably just give me a kestrel. I'm probably too small to handle any other type of bird." She sighed and put her head on his shoulder.

[Locke]

Terric

The smile lit up here entire face. “Your smile is like a sunrise,” Terric said almost absently. His thoughts were already on her explanation of falconry.
A kestrel must have been a type of bird like an eagle or a falcon. “Kestrels must be fierce birds, if they think you’ll need one. How does bird hunting work?” he asked. He’d always hunted with a bow, spear, or snare. Maybe the bird helped one hunt. “Do you use your bird to help bring back your prey like some Wetlanders use dogs or do you use them or does the bird help kill your prey?”

He considered potentially teaching Dog Gaidin to hunt or fight or do something borderline useful. He was a great dog, but obedience was not one of his strong suits.

[Avyra]

“Your smile is like a sunrise." Avyra felt her face redden, smiling even wider at his compliment. Did he really mean that? It was too late to ask, because he was already thinking about something else. “Kestrels must be fierce birds, if they think you’ll need one. How does bird hunting work? Do you use your bird to help bring back your prey like some Wetlanders use dogs or do you use them or does the bird help kill your prey?” Avyra shook her head. "Hardly any bird is big enough to carry their kill back to you. It depends on the bird's size and the quarry's size, but hardly any bird will do it." She paused. "The bird kills the quarry for you. Usually a dog is used to help find downed quarry, too." She paused. "I have all the supplies; I just need to start. You find and trap a wild bird first, then you train it and hunt with it for a season or two, then release it again."

[Locke]

Terric

Wetlanders had strange pass times. Why use a bird to hunt at all. Terric sat up, turning to face his friend. “So if the bird can’t bring back prey, then what’s the point? A bird couldn’t possibly help you fell a large beast. So it’s not really useful in hunts to earn ‘ji’ or for sport, and if they can’t bring back their prizes, then you can’t use them to hunt for food. I don’t mean to sound rude, but what is the point then?”

This was something she was rather passionate about, he could tell. That meant she’d want to take him along one day. “It’s a strange activity, but I will come with you if you want,” he added. At least he was less likely to end up in water or on a horse doing this. That didn’t mean it was a logical activity. Wetlanders were peculiar indeed.

[Avyra]

Avyra laughed. "That's why you track the bird. You flush out their game, then you follow them as they hunt. Besides, it seems amazing." She grinned. "Having a raptor would be... awesome. Besides, it depends on what bird I catch. A larger hawk could take down rabbit, quail, and other game like that, which is edible. "I don't exactly care about collecting ji or the practicality of the hobby. I don't think my flute is practical either; it gives me no ji, in my eyes. But I still enjoy it. I don't think you need to have a purpose to enjoy something. Just do it and have fun." She nuzzled into his neck. "But I'd love to have you along. I'd need someone to defend me if I'm out in the forest. Its scary out there." She paused, pulling back. "And I'd love to watch your bodyguard class. I wouldn't be able to join in but it would be fun to watch. You'll make a great teacher; I know it."

[Locke]

Terric

Terric draped one thick arm around her shoulders, turning a page, with his free hand. “The forest isn’t that scary, you just have to know which plants to avoid.” He was sure, one of the plants he’d burned for firewood had caused his nightmares, but he wasn’t quite ready to discount them as a fever dream quite yet. “Also, if they allow it, my class will be open to anybody, not just Drin. It only makes sense. You channellers need to understand these principles as well. I’ve heard some stories, some channellers have the survival instincts of a meegerling,” he said with a laugh, thinking of the rather stupid rodents who heedlessly crawled towards food. “If they approve my class, I’d love for you to take it.”

He looked down at her with a mischievous glint in his eye, “How good are you at looking like you’re in peril? I might need a few actors.”

[Avyra]

He put a heavy arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. She hadn't noticed this before, but his Warder training seemed to be doing the same thing it had done for Danos; he was far larger now than when they had met, probably approaching three times her size. But that wasn't a bad thing. She continued making notes about the music as he spoke, leaning against his chest. “How good are you at looking like you’re in peril? I might need a few actors.” She looked up at him, then grinned back. He had such a sweet grin. "Mm. Maybe I can. Would this be good?" She paused, putting on a fake distressed face. "Help me! This giant man is literally crushing me with his arm! I think it weighs as much as I do! Help!" She followed her act with a feeble attempt to free herself.

[Locke]

Terric

Terric couldn’t help but laugh. He’d always treasured lighthearted moments such as this. Laughing, he said, “You’re hired. Are you sure you’re not a princess in a story? Probably not, they usually can’t summon fire.”

He switched his book for a notebook and began writing an outline for the class. “So, what happens now?” His thoughts slid towards more serious topics, “We pushed back the Seanchan, but they’re still out there. What now? Are we at war now?” Nobody was asking that question, at least not around students. The secretive nature of the Channelers continued to infuriate them. It signaled a serious lack of trust. If they were readying to dance the spears, he wanted to be ready. He had a feeling, his world had just become much more chaotic and dangerous. He rested his cheek on the top of Avyra’s head. Terric closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her soft hair against his face. Whatever the future looked like, at least he had this moment.

[Avyra]

He gave a great, booming laugh at her joke. “You’re hired. Are you sure you’re not a princess in a story? Probably not, they usually can’t summon fire.” Avyra smiled; she was the best princess, if you asked her. However, the tone soon changed. “So, what happens now? We pushed back the Seanchan, but they’re still out there. What now? Are we at war now?” Avyra sighed as he rested his head on hers. He clung to her as though she was his only way of living. "No, I don't think so. They attacked us, yes, but we rebuild and go about our lives. Sometimes the best way to fight back is to show them that they don't mean anything to you." She tried to concentrate on the rise and fall of his chest, not the thought of a war. She didn't think she could handle war. "Maybe they'll attack again. But I'm trying to live in the now and mot back then."

[Locke]

Terric

It wasn’t the past he was worried about, it was the future. What was done was done, but it still didn’t seem like the powers that be were doing much in terms of preparing for future attacks. Things had been a mess, from his vantage, it seemed like everybody went off to gain their own ji. It shamed him to admit that he’d done so as well. There wasn’t a plan in place. In the Dance, everybody must know their roll and where they should be. Even if it meant keeping the lower ranks away from the fighting, the mid ranks should have had clear orders to protect and chaperone the younger students. Some of the better trained Drin should have been called on to help. Even if he managed to train up the Drin, the Tower itself was just too unorganized. That wasn’t a battle he could even begin to fight though.

He couldn’t help but think. Avyra was wrong about just rebuilding and just showing them they don’t matter. This wasn’t about insult, it was about security. Sure they didn’t break us this time, but it didn’t mean they’d fail again. Wars did happen, people died. He’d hold onto moments like this, because he knew all too well, they could be snatched away in a heartbeat.