[Training] Winter's Bite

He was still far from his best, but he was better than he had been. The blight had done more than steal his mind - though that would have been more than enough on its own. No, it had also left him gaunt and weak from lack of proper eating and rest. He had been recovering under Rory's care, and he was feeling stronger now in spite of the way his hands still shook, but he had a ways to go yet.

Unfortunately, with Long Night just around the corner, time was a commodity they didn't have nearly enough of.

He had invited Kiada out to the Ruins to train some strength back into their bodies and see how their reflexes were recovering. He still didn't trust himself with his sword just yet; the precision required to wield the rapier was impossible until the shaking stopped. Kiada, however, had come into a new wildshape, and four legs were steadier than two at the moment. It made for a good place to start, and it would be nice to have someone his size to tussle with for a change.

None of this wolves or lions or manticores business.

So it was that Jigano waited in the evening for her to arrive, a white fox perched on top of a broken column of stone as snow sifted down lightly from wispy clouds overhead, black nose twitching and blue-black eyes alert for his friend while Isuma circled in the sky, talons clutching a gift, waiting for Auni to arrive so the pair could play while their companions sparred.

KIADA

The invitation was welcome, and frankly nice considering everything that had happened with the two of them and the blight. To have some form of normalcy with the world around them, while the blight still works its way out of their systems, seems like a wonderful way to go out and enjoy the snow. And plus, it’s practice for what’s to come – something that worries her, but also gives her hope. So her and Auni drift from their home out toward the meeting place – Kiada in her caracal form, bronze fur a stark contrast to the snow beneath her paws, especially the ear tufts that flicker every time a snowflake lands on it and melts.

They approach the area, and Auni bounces toward the center with Jigano with a wiggle and a small bag around his neck. Kiada approaches too, swift on his heels, long tail swishing behind her as she moves to sit before the white fox. I brought some snacks… I’ve been baking lately. She informs the fox with a bit of humor laced through the bond, before she stands and stretches her front paws out, claws extended as a spot in her spine pops with the movement, before she settles again. Did you have anything in mind? She asks in regards to the training. Sure, they were in this form, but was there anything else she should be expecting?

The caracal was impossible to miss, her coloring bold and bright against the white blanket of winter. Jigano raised his head as he saw her approach, shaking the snow from his fur and hopping down to greet her. Auni towered over them - an amusing trick of perspective - and he sniffed appreciatively at the delicious smells that wafted from the bag. A skill that will always open doors for you! he agreed approvingly, glad that she was branching out and trying new things. Devas bakery, with its warmth and love, was an excellent place to learn - especially in the cold days of Deepfrost!

It made for a good introduction for Isuma as well as the little gryphlet swooped down, chirping proudly as she backwinged to a perfect landing in the snow in front of Auni - and holding up a bright orange carrot that she had chosen for her friend when Jigano had told her that they'd be meeting the luxere and the Harpy. We brought... ah, a carrot for Auni, he added a little sheepishly, wishing now that they'd thought ahead and found a bit more to offer.

He leaned forward as Kiada finished stretching, a hesitant extension to brush his nose against hers in a closer greeting, defying the blight that still haunted them both. Nothing special. I just wanted to start regaining some of what I lost to those weeks... in the cold, he finished, humor fading to solemnity at the reminder of the darkest days of their madness. Like the flight-sparring we practiced last time, but with our four-footed forms. To give us a chance to learn each other's moves, so we have a few more arrows on our quivers for Long Night. We could start with a game of tag if we wanted, to test our reflexes? he suggested, the game less likely to give the blight as much to twist out of shape than if they went straight to tussling.

KIADA

A hum of bubbling laughter drifts from the bond to the fox as she tilts her head to him. A skill accompanied by the smell which will likely open the door instead. She teases back with a flick of her tail, a content purr leaving her throat as she shakes out her bronze coat – flecks of the fur dancing through the air to the snow beneath them.

Auni sets his bag down and hops toward Isuma with interest the second he could smell the carrot, giving a little dance as he pokes his tongue out, hoping it’ll rake across the back of the gryphon’s head with approval. Oh he’ll love that. She offers easily, amused for a brief moment before she finishes her stretch and Jigano’s nose brushes by her – her whiskers flickering with the movement but appreciating it all the same.

Sure. I haven’t done much in this form admittedly… With everything. But we’ll at least need everything at our disposal for Longnight. She manages with a twitch of her whiskers again, a feeling of frustration and a small amount of sadness that bubbles through the bond that she tries to drown quickly. And at his suggestion, she stands with a small nod, darting forward with a feline smirk to tag him before darting around the stump in the hopes of plowing through the snow fast enough.

The white fox winked agreement at the correction to his words, for they were just as true if not more so. With that delicious scent wafting through the air he knew he'd have the doors to Guild or farmstead open immediately - if not sooner! The purr that danced through the air was as welcome as the scent of treats, however, and he wagged his tail tentatively, glad to see the young warrior - his young friend - recovering so well.

The companions were quick to renew their own acquaintance with treats and licks - even if the 'kiss' caused Isuma's ears to flatten in comic dismay at the wet tongue that swiped across her feathers. She was happy to offer her treat up for Auni's tongue instead, and quick to hop into the safety of her friend's antlers to watch the antics of their humans once the carrot had been accepted.

Let's find out what it can do then, Jigano encouraged, and a moment later he did find out as a bronze paw patted his nose before Kiada was off and running. He yipped excitedly and leapt up, taking a moment atop the stump to find his friend before diving off it and streaking across the snow in her wake. Jigano's legs were longer, though he was less muscular than his fellow Attuned, and he streaked across the snow eagerly, broad feet well-used to hunting mice and voles in winter time lending his feet sureness and speed.

He was not in his best shape thanks to the blight, but he wouldn't hold back against Kiada either; he respected her far too much to coddle her like that. He stayed low and made a lunge to bump his head against her thigh before turning and bounding off in a different direction. He headed straight for a tangle of fallen beams and stonework, making use of their smaller size to eel his way through them and turn their chase into an obstacle course of flexibility. How well can you bend? he called back teasingly, throwing himself whole-heartedly into their training game.

KIADA

Auni has no complaint about where Isuma decides to perch, and with the carrot hanging from his mouth, he darts to a place where he thinks the two attuned won’t be able to run into them during their training. And with it, he hunkers down to observe with wide blue eyes as Kiada darts from Jigano with a hum of laughter sent down the bond between the two of them.

But Jigano is fast, far more nimble than this form that’s edged a bit more toward hunting and pouncing, for capturing birds out of the air. But even still, they’re not in the best of shape – not like they had once been, and she finds herself darting and slipping among the ice and snow as she feels his fuzzy head reach out and bump her. A hiss of surprise and playfulness leave her as she slides to a stop and turns, ear tufts fluttering in the wind they’ve created as her blue gaze seeks out a familiar white fox.

She spots him, in the different direction, darting toward a tangle of fallen debris, and she cocks her head a moment before following him and surveying. I can bend pretty well, but this form is another story. She offers unhelpfully, reaching out with her head to try and follow him under the obstacles when her whiskers brush up against the edges, and she realizes she likely won’t fit – at least won’t be able to get out.

So she opts for something else, letting him get as far into it as he can before she hops atop the rubble and finds tiny little holes to stick her paws into, hoping to touch soft ivory fur.

Really?Jigano paused in his wriggling, managing to look behind him as he cocked his head at her in surprise. I thought a feline form would be fairly flexible... He had meant the tangle of wreckage to be a challenge, not an obstacle that would stop the game. He paused to try and figure out how he was going to extricate himself, but Kiada was already moving, showing a greater flexibility of thought than her caracal body could manage.

One of the beams she passed over shifted abruptly and Jigano yelped, going back to his slinking and twisting to try and get out from underneath the pile while keeping his belly flat to the ground to try and stay out of reach. He felt dainty paws swipe just over his head and flattened his ears at the last moment, but just when he saw a way to get clear of the collapsed rubble he felt the brush of a pawpad on his rump. Hey! he called out in mock-indignity, flicking his bushy tail at the impertinent paw as it withdrew. He scrambled the last few feet back into the open and stood there panting, blue eyes showing less black than ever as he grinned foxily at his friend. Think we're warmed up enough? The next goal is to not just touch, but tackle! If they needed to fight in their four-legged forms, it wouldn't be just a gentle tap they'd need to land. The soft snow made a good mat for them to roll over, while the Ruins around them still provided plenty of places for cover to dodge around and use defensively.

The white fox stood still for a moment, letting Kiada get a few strides of a start under the changed rules, then he was off with a bark to try and catch up to her.

KIADA

Jigano’s thoughts break through the bond to her own and she manages the feeling of a snort sent back. Yeah, I mean… If you’re small. She jests, flexing her muscular feline form as if to say ’Definitely not small’ before she flicks her tail and the game continues. She begins to poke her paws into the small holes and crevices, hoping to touch a fluff of white beneath them. And just when she’s growing frustrated with her lack of touch, she feels it, and lifts up. He opens up again, out from beneath the rubble and poises a question.

You’re on, Bard. She tells him full of amusement and humor, hopping from the top of the pile of rubble she’d been staying on. And with it, she notices Jigano’s pause, hopping along with a small trot in the snow before she’s ahead of him and he trails after her with a bark. There’s a light purr that leaves her throat as she focuses on the soft padding of the snow before she turns back toward him. Alright! She says with a fairly feline smirk.

And then she bolts with a pounce toward Jigano in the hopes of tackling him into the snow with her large paws, her tail flickering behind her in all her excitement and attempts.

I prefer the term 'nimble', he teased back, but his nimbleness wasn't enough to save him from a swat on the rump from a deftly-poked paw. Clearing the rubble he shook himself out, sending a puff of ash and dust into the air. He thought he was 'it' and wanted to give Kiada a fair start before he headed after her, white paws spread wide to keep him from sinking into the snow as he chased the bronze caracal with laughter in his eyes. The darkness of the blight seemed to retreat further under the onslaught of camaraderie and trust that was being built up once more and strengthened between them, and for a moment he let himself become overconfident.

Well. Maybe more than a moment.

He didn't expect her to slow. He had been intending to pounce on her if he could catch her, and her sudden reversal caught him entirely by surprise. He scrambled to stop and dodge her 'attack', but his feet were shaky enough still from the blight-taint in his blood that he slipped and was knocked down with a yelp, breath leaving his small furry body in a whoosh as the muscular feline pinned him.

You got me! You got me! he called through the link, but mischief sparked on the last note, a wicked turnabout coming to mind. A surprise for a surprise? He shifted beneath her, fur fading to scales and his body rapidly lengthening as the great python twisted in the snow to try and throw a wrap of thick coils around the clever cat, attempting to pin her in return. Ssssurpriiiiisssse! he hissed playfully, deliberately dragging out the esses as he tried to tickle her whiskers with his forked tongue if he had managed to successfully grab her.

KIADA

The teasing was easy, it made it feel far more normal than she had access to for quite some time. And she enjoys the easy banter between the two of them. It keeps her mind busy, focusing on other things while she swallows the blight down deep within her, blending and weathering it away, chipping at it every passing moment with the help of the roses and vi’s cure – and hope for Longnight, hoping that she can find her lover, find who inhabits his body and guards his soul, and saves him.

But for now, she focuses on Jigano – spinning around and pouncing, keeping him on his toes like he kept hers on her own. And her paws find their mark, a feline grin and a purr of triumph leaves her throat, a laugh is sent through the bond toward the Bard, chipper and pleased with her success. But when he admits she’s gotten him, and he suddenly changes, her blue gaze sharpens as paws suddenly are covered with a slick, white, scaly creature.

Ah, a snake. oh, and he’s successful as he pins her, hissing a surprise in the bond with a huff of laughter as his forked tongue tickles her whiskers. Well, in this case, she gives him a slightly roguish smirk, shifting herself again to loosen his grip around her paws, shifting into her vulture form where she tries to grab onto him with her talons – taking care to make sure she doesn’t hurt him.

He'd gone down fair and square, surprised by her attack and failing to dodge it despite his best effort, but it still felt good to hear her purr again, to see her confident and victorious - even if she was victorious over him. His ego, he decided, was not so fragile that he couldn't salute the more clever opponent, but that didn't mean he was lacking in tricks of his own! They still didn't know all that the monsters were capable of; that they could change their voices and perhaps even use illusions like the boggarts of the Labyrinth to reach into people's minds and wear the appearances of those they would love and trust had been shared at the meeting in Leafchange. Whether they could truly shapeshift was unknown, but it seemed worth training to prepare for, just in case.

Besides, once he was pinned the fox was at the caracal's mercy unless he did something sneaky. And Jigano did so love to be sneaky in a fight.

Coils caught and gave a gentle squeeze, not unlike a hug, before he loosened them a little in preparation for resetting their game, but Kiada was not yet done. There was no need to loosen his muscular length as sturdy cat became a less-meaty but still powerful bird, and though he tried to slither away when he realized what was happening, his snaky length worked against him - as did the cold snow that sapped his heat and drained his energy. He was far too big and slow to evade capture, though he made an effort to toss his coils to the side and away from grasping feet.

All it did was make Kiada exert a little a more effort to settle her claws around him, though what she intended to do with a reticulated python that was nearly twenty feet long and well over one hundred pounds was an excellent question. Then again, what that snake was doing in the snow was another one, and he hissed a quiet laugh. Too much longer in this form and I'll be taking a nap, he admitted ruefully. That's two for you, little huntress! I'm going to change back now, though - watch the toes. With ample warning so she wouldn't accidentally scratch him in their games he shrunk down to a smaller, feathered shape and gave himself a good shake, shivering in spite of his thick coat.

It's like my blood is filled with ice water, he grimaced, looking up to the bigger Harpy with a bright blue eye only lightly marred by black lines. Shall we do another round of sky-tag to warm up? It looks like I'm' it!'

KIADA

The surprise extends on the Harpy just as much as it does on Jigano when she manages to carefully wrap her talons around him in this form. And when he hisses a quiet laugh to her, she sends a pulse of amusement back toward him. Ah, a nap sounds great, honestly. Because she still wasn’t exactly the same, still wasn’t the best when it came to the blight still trying to remove itself from her mind and body.

At his warning, however, he shifts into his feathered form and she lets him go to stand a small distance away, pale wings folding around her back, and she recalls a similar scenario before – without the chill of the cold, the laughter and light of the bright sunshine that danced beneath the brambles and branches. At his comment, she gives him a beaky, cheeky grin and a snort. You’re on.

Without warning, she spreads her large wings, aimed playfully at him as she blows the chill of the wind toward him as she lifts herself up into the air and takes off among the bare and snow fallen branches, waiting to see if he’ll catch up to her from behind or if he’ll aim for a different approach to get to her.

They were improving little by little, day by day. They had a goal to work towards, and a need to be at the best again before LongNight. And sometimes that meant sleep.

And sometimes that meant training - even if their training was more like play.

He squawked indignantly as snow was blown up into his blue eyes, but he was only a heartbeat behind as he launched himself up - straight up, reaching not for the branches but the sky until he could blink his sight clear and look down at the Harpy amidst the bare trees that offered little in the way of hiding. Folding his wings the smaller bird dived, white feathers against white sky, hoping to use his small size to thread the branches and tag the bigger bird on his way past her.

KIADA

There’s the feeling of a smirk that passes from her to him as she launches into the sky, as his squawk reaches her. And she takes off, high up into the boughs and branches, but she’s quite a bit larger than he is, and he’s far more nimble when it comes to darting above and below her. It takes her some time to adjust, and she manages before she realizes that she’s lost the raven.

Her head tilts up just in time to spot a fluff of white, diving toward her, and with a guttural croon of laughter, she’s tagged by the raven. Ah, but she won’t let him get away that easily. Much like before, she swerves after he tags her, aiming to spread her wings wide and causes her to pause brief in the air in a quick amount of slowing herself down, before she adjusts and aims to speed up, beak extended to tap his tail feathers.